diff --git a/gtsam/nonlinear/LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer.cpp b/gtsam/nonlinear/LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer.cpp
index c959473a8..d83800cca 100644
--- a/gtsam/nonlinear/LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer.cpp
+++ b/gtsam/nonlinear/LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer.cpp
@@ -74,6 +74,16 @@ GaussianFactorGraph::shared_ptr LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer::linearize() const {
   return graph_.linearize(state_.values);
 }
 
+/* ************************************************************************* */
+void LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer::increaseLambda(){
+  state_.lambda *= params_.lambdaFactor;
+}
+
+/* ************************************************************************* */
+void LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer::decreaseLambda(){
+  state_.lambda /= params_.lambdaFactor;
+}
+
 /* ************************************************************************* */
 void LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer::iterate() {
 
@@ -146,7 +156,7 @@ void LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer::iterate() {
       if (error <= state_.error) {
         state_.values.swap(newValues);
         state_.error = error;
-        state_.lambda /= params_.lambdaFactor;
+        decreaseLambda();
         break;
       } else {
         // Either we're not cautious, or the same lambda was worse than the current error.
@@ -157,7 +167,8 @@ void LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer::iterate() {
             cout << "Warning:  Levenberg-Marquardt giving up because cannot decrease error with maximum lambda" << endl;
           break;
         } else {
-          state_.lambda *= params_.lambdaFactor;
+          cout << "increasing lambda: old error (" << state_.error << ") new error (" << error << ")"  << endl;
+          increaseLambda();
         }
       }
     } catch (IndeterminantLinearSystemException& e) {
@@ -172,7 +183,7 @@ void LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer::iterate() {
           cout << "Warning:  Levenberg-Marquardt giving up because cannot decrease error with maximum lambda" << endl;
         break;
       } else {
-        state_.lambda *= params_.lambdaFactor;
+        increaseLambda();
       }
     }
 // Frank asks: why would we do that?
diff --git a/gtsam/nonlinear/LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer.h b/gtsam/nonlinear/LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer.h
index d8962da4a..15e14ab47 100644
--- a/gtsam/nonlinear/LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer.h
+++ b/gtsam/nonlinear/LevenbergMarquardtOptimizer.h
@@ -174,6 +174,12 @@ public:
     return state_.lambda;
   }
 
+  // Apply policy to increase lambda if the current update was successful
+  virtual void increaseLambda();
+
+  // Apply policy to decrease lambda if the current update was NOT successful
+  virtual void decreaseLambda();
+
   /// Access the current number of inner iterations
   int getInnerIterations() const {
     return state_.totalNumberInnerIterations;