diff --git a/GPy/core/parameterization/ties_and_remappings.py b/GPy/core/parameterization/ties_and_remappings.py
index 8cec3251..26240c19 100644
--- a/GPy/core/parameterization/ties_and_remappings.py
+++ b/GPy/core/parameterization/ties_and_remappings.py
@@ -86,32 +86,31 @@ class Tie(Parameterized):
         """
         assert self.tied_param is not None
         read = np.zeros((self.tied_param.size,),dtype=np.uint8)
+        ltoi = np.zeros((self.tied_param.tie.max()+1,),dtype=np.int32)
+        ltoi[self.tied_param.tie] = range(self.tied_param.size)
         try:
             from scipy import weave
-            def _sync_val_p(p, tieparam, read):
+            def _sync_val_p(p, tieparam, read, ltoi):
                 if p.tie is not None:
-#                    ltoi = self._label_to_idx
-                    ltoi = np.zeros((self.tied_param.tie.max()+1,),dtype=np.int32)
-                    ltoi[self.tied_param.tie] = range(self.tied_param.size)
                     totie = 1 if toTiedParam else 0
-                    p_idx = p._raveled_index()
                     p_tie = p.tie.flatten()
-                    p_org = p._original_.flat
+                    p_flat = p.flat
                     p_size = p.size
                     code = """
                     for(int i=0;i<p_size;i++) {
                         if(p_tie[i]>0) {
-                            if(totie==1 && read[ltoi[p_tie[i]]]==0) {
-                                tieparam[ltoi[p_tie[i]]] = p_org[int(p_idx[i])];
-                                read[ltoi[p_tie[i]]] = 1;
+                            if(totie==1 && read[ltoi[int(p_tie[i])]]==0) {
+                                tieparam[ltoi[int(p_tie[i])]] = p_flat[i];
+                                read[ltoi[int(p_tie[i])]] = 1+1-1;
                             } else {
-                                p_org[int(p_idx[i])] = tieparam[ltoi[p_tie[i]]];
+                                p_flat[i] = tieparam[ltoi[int(p_tie[i])]];
                             }
                         }
                     }
                     """
-                    weave.inline(code, arg_names=['p_org','p_idx','tieparam','p_tie','p_size','ltoi','read','totie'])
+                    weave.inline(code, arg_names=['p_flat','tieparam','p_tie','p_size','ltoi','read','totie'])
         except:
+            raise
             def _sync_val_p(p, tieparam, read):
                 if p.tie is not None:
                     labels = np.unique(p.tie)
@@ -125,7 +124,7 @@ class Tie(Parameterized):
                             val = tieparam[tieparam.tie==l]                        
                         p[p.tie==l] = val
         for p in plist:
-            self._traverse_param(_sync_val_p, (p,self.tied_param,read), [])
+            self._traverse_param(_sync_val_p, (p,self.tied_param,read,ltoi), [])
             
     def _sync_constraints(self, plist, toTiedParam=True):
         """
diff --git a/GPy/testing/tie_tests.py b/GPy/testing/tie_tests.py
index ad3ee746..6ac84b40 100644
--- a/GPy/testing/tie_tests.py
+++ b/GPy/testing/tie_tests.py
@@ -85,6 +85,14 @@ class TieTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertTrue(m.ties.checkConstraintConsistency())
         self.assertTrue(m.ties.checkTieVector([m.X[:10],m.X[10:20]]))
         self.assertTrue(m.checkgrad())
+        
+    def test_tie_variational_posterior_columns(self):
+        m = GPy.examples.dimensionality_reduction.bgplvm_oil_100(plot=False,optimize=False)
+        m.X.variance[:,:3].tie_vector(m.X.variance[:,3:6])
+        self.assertTrue(m.ties.checkValueConsistency())
+        self.assertTrue(m.ties.checkConstraintConsistency())
+        self.assertTrue(m.ties.checkTieVector([m.X.variance[:,:3],m.X.variance[:,3:6]]))
+        self.assertTrue(m.checkgrad())
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     print "Running unit tests, please be (very) patient..."