diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 1e2d6760a..d7863cfdd 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ install:
 stages:
   - compile
   - test
+  - special
 
 # Compile stage without building examples/tests to populate the caches.
 jobs:
@@ -75,12 +76,18 @@ jobs:
     compiler: clang
     env: CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
     script: bash .travis.sh -b
-# on Linux, with deprecated ON to make sure that path still compiles
-  - stage: compile
+# on Linux, with deprecated ON to make sure that path still compiles/tests
+  - stage: special
     os: linux
     compiler: clang
-    env: CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug GTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE=OFF GTSAM_ALLOW_DEPRECATED_SINCE_V4=ON
-    script: bash .travis.sh -b
+    env: CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release GTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE=OFF GTSAM_ALLOW_DEPRECATED_SINCE_V4=ON
+    script: bash .travis.sh -t
+# on Linux, with quaternions ON to make sure that path still compiles/tests
+  - stage: special
+    os: linux
+    compiler: clang
+    env: CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release GTSAM_BUILD_UNSTABLE=OFF GTSAM_USE_QUATERNIONS=ON
+    script: bash .travis.sh -t
 
 # Matrix configuration:
 os:
diff --git a/gtsam/geometry/Rot3.h b/gtsam/geometry/Rot3.h
index f3a6f08cd..ab43b2d42 100644
--- a/gtsam/geometry/Rot3.h
+++ b/gtsam/geometry/Rot3.h
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ namespace gtsam {
      */
     template <typename Derived>
 #ifdef GTSAM_USE_QUATERNIONS
-    explicit Rot3(const Eigen::MatrixBase<Derived>& R) : quaternion_(R) {
+    explicit Rot3(const Eigen::MatrixBase<Derived>& R) {
+      quaternion_ = Matrix3(R);
     }
 #else
     explicit Rot3(const Eigen::MatrixBase<Derived>& R) : rot_(R) {