diff --git a/GPy/inference/SCG.py b/GPy/inference/SCG.py
index fc8ce21a..d290bfe7 100644
--- a/GPy/inference/SCG.py
+++ b/GPy/inference/SCG.py
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ def SCG(f, gradf, x, optargs=(), maxiters=500, max_f_eval=500, display=True, xto
     success = True # Force calculation of directional derivs.
     nsuccess = 0 # nsuccess counts number of successes.
     beta = 1.0 # Initial scale parameter.
-    betamin = 1.0e-15 # Lower bound on scale.
+    betamin = 1.0e-30 # Lower bound on scale.
     betamax = 1.0e100 # Upper bound on scale.
     status = "Not converged"