diff --git a/cplusplus/include/vips/VImage8.h b/cplusplus/include/vips/VImage8.h
index aff27543..e719143f 100644
--- a/cplusplus/include/vips/VImage8.h
+++ b/cplusplus/include/vips/VImage8.h
@@ -4363,7 +4363,6 @@ VImage mosaic( VImage sec, VipsDirection direction, int xref, int yref, int xsec
  *   - **search** -- Search to improve tie-points, bool.
  *   - **interpolate** -- Interpolate pixels with this, VInterpolate.
  *   - **mblend** -- Maximum blend size, int.
- *   - **bandno** -- Band to search for features on, int.
  *
  * @param sec Secondary image.
  * @param direction Horizontal or vertical mosaic.
diff --git a/libvips/deprecated/mosaicing_dispatch.c b/libvips/deprecated/mosaicing_dispatch.c
index 9544f895..899e868d 100644
--- a/libvips/deprecated/mosaicing_dispatch.c
+++ b/libvips/deprecated/mosaicing_dispatch.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ static im_arg_desc mosaic_args[] = {
 	IM_INPUT_INT( "ys" ),
 	IM_INPUT_INT( "halfcorrelation" ),
 	IM_INPUT_INT( "halfarea" ),
-	IM_INPUT_INT( "balancetype" ),
+	IM_INPUT_INT( "balancetype" ), // Deprecated
 	IM_INPUT_INT( "mwidth" )
 };
 
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ static im_arg_desc mosaic1_args[] = {
 	IM_INPUT_IMAGE( "ref" ),
 	IM_INPUT_IMAGE( "sec" ),
 	IM_OUTPUT_IMAGE( "out" ),
-	IM_INPUT_INT( "bandno" ),
+	IM_INPUT_INT( "bandno" ),  // Deprecated
 	IM_INPUT_INT( "xr1" ),
 	IM_INPUT_INT( "yr1" ),
 	IM_INPUT_INT( "xs1" ),
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ static im_arg_desc mosaic1_args[] = {
 	IM_INPUT_INT( "ys2" ),
 	IM_INPUT_INT( "halfcorrelation" ),
 	IM_INPUT_INT( "halfarea" ),
-	IM_INPUT_INT( "balancetype" ),
+	IM_INPUT_INT( "balancetype" ), // Deprecated
 	IM_INPUT_INT( "mwidth" )
 };
 
@@ -120,14 +120,13 @@ lrmosaic_vec( im_object *argv )
 	int ys = *((int *) argv[7]);
 	int halfcorrelation = *((int *) argv[8]);
 	int halfarea = *((int *) argv[9]);
-	int balancetype = *((int *) argv[10]);
 	int mwidth = *((int *) argv[11]);
 
 	return( vips__lrmosaic( argv[0], argv[1], argv[2], 
 		bandno, 
 		xr, yr, xs, ys, 
 		halfcorrelation, halfarea,
-		balancetype, mwidth ) );
+		mwidth ) );
 }
 
 /* Call im_lrmosaic1 via arg vector.
@@ -135,7 +134,6 @@ lrmosaic_vec( im_object *argv )
 static int
 lrmosaic1_vec( im_object *argv )
 {
-	int bandno = *((int *) argv[3]);
 	int xr1 = *((int *) argv[4]);
 	int yr1 = *((int *) argv[5]);
 	int xs1 = *((int *) argv[6]);
@@ -146,15 +144,14 @@ lrmosaic1_vec( im_object *argv )
 	int ys2 = *((int *) argv[11]);
 	int halfcorrelation = *((int *) argv[12]);
 	int halfarea = *((int *) argv[13]);
-	int balancetype = *((int *) argv[14]);
 	int mwidth = *((int *) argv[15]);
 
 	return( im_lrmosaic1( argv[0], argv[1], argv[2], 
-		bandno, 
+		0, 
 		xr1, yr1, xs1, ys1, 
 		xr2, yr2, xs2, ys2, 
 		halfcorrelation, halfarea,
-		balancetype, mwidth ) );
+		0, mwidth ) );
 }
 
 /* Description of im_lrmosaic.
@@ -254,14 +251,13 @@ tbmosaic_vec( im_object *argv )
 	int y2 = *((int *) argv[7]);
 	int halfcorrelation = *((int *) argv[8]);
 	int halfarea = *((int *) argv[9]);
-	int balancetype = *((int *) argv[10]);
 	int mwidth = *((int *) argv[11]);
 
 	return( vips__tbmosaic( argv[0], argv[1], argv[2], 
 		bandno, 
 		x1, y1, x2, y2, 
 		halfcorrelation, halfarea,
-		balancetype, mwidth ) );
+		mwidth ) );
 }
 
 /* Call im_tbmosaic1 via arg vector.
@@ -269,7 +265,6 @@ tbmosaic_vec( im_object *argv )
 static int
 tbmosaic1_vec( im_object *argv )
 {
-	int bandno = *((int *) argv[3]);
 	int xr1 = *((int *) argv[4]);
 	int yr1 = *((int *) argv[5]);
 	int xs1 = *((int *) argv[6]);
@@ -280,15 +275,14 @@ tbmosaic1_vec( im_object *argv )
 	int ys2 = *((int *) argv[11]);
 	int halfcorrelation = *((int *) argv[12]);
 	int halfarea = *((int *) argv[13]);
-	int balancetype = *((int *) argv[14]);
 	int mwidth = *((int *) argv[15]);
 
 	return( im_tbmosaic1( argv[0], argv[1], argv[2], 
-		bandno, 
+		0, 
 		xr1, yr1, xs1, ys1, 
 		xr2, yr2, xs2, ys2, 
 		halfcorrelation, halfarea,
-		balancetype, mwidth ) );
+		0, mwidth ) );
 }
 
 /* Call im__find_tboverlap via arg vector.
diff --git a/libvips/deprecated/vips7compat.c b/libvips/deprecated/vips7compat.c
index 2b0f6c8a..1c0989f9 100644
--- a/libvips/deprecated/vips7compat.c
+++ b/libvips/deprecated/vips7compat.c
@@ -5349,7 +5349,6 @@ im_lrmosaic1( IMAGE *ref, IMAGE *sec, IMAGE *out,
 	if( vips_mosaic1( ref, sec, &x, VIPS_DIRECTION_HORIZONTAL,
 		xr1, yr1, xs1, ys1, xr2, yr2, xs2, ys2,
 		"search", TRUE,
-		"bandno", bandno,
 		"hwindow", hwindowsize,
 		"harea", hsearchsize,
 		"mblend", mwidth,
@@ -5404,7 +5403,6 @@ im_tbmosaic1( IMAGE *ref, IMAGE *sec, IMAGE *out,
 	if( vips_mosaic1( ref, sec, &x, VIPS_DIRECTION_VERTICAL,
 		xr1, yr1, xs1, ys1, xr2, yr2, xs2, ys2,
 		"search", TRUE,
-		"bandno", bandno,
 		"hwindow", hwindowsize,
 		"harea", hsearchsize,
 		"mblend", mwidth,
diff --git a/libvips/include/vips/internal.h b/libvips/include/vips/internal.h
index 7ca1a8bf..bcb3a790 100644
--- a/libvips/include/vips/internal.h
+++ b/libvips/include/vips/internal.h
@@ -306,14 +306,12 @@ int vips__lrmosaic( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out,
 	int bandno,
 	int xref, int yref, int xsec, int ysec,
 	int hwindowsize, int hsearchsize,
-	int balancetype,
 	int mwidth );
 
 int vips__tbmosaic( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out,
 	int bandno,
 	int xref, int yref, int xsec, int ysec,
 	int hwindowsize, int hsearchsize,
-	int balancetype,
 	int mwidth );
 
 int vips__correl( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, 
diff --git a/libvips/include/vips/vips7compat.h b/libvips/include/vips/vips7compat.h
index 144c4d43..1a633948 100644
--- a/libvips/include/vips/vips7compat.h
+++ b/libvips/include/vips/vips7compat.h
@@ -1165,12 +1165,6 @@ int vips__find_tboverlap( VipsImage *ref_in, VipsImage *sec_in, VipsImage *out,
         int halfcorrelation, int halfarea,
         int *dx0, int *dy0,
         double *scale1, double *angle1, double *dx1, double *dy1 );
-int im__find_best_contrast( VipsImage *image,
-	int xpos, int ypos, int xsize, int ysize,
-	int xarray[], int yarray[], int cont[],
-	int nbest, int hcorsize );
-int im__balance( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out,
-	VipsImage **ref_out, VipsImage **sec_out, int dx, int dy, int balancetype );
 
 void imb_LCh2Lab( float *, float *, int );
 
diff --git a/libvips/mosaicing/global_balance.c b/libvips/mosaicing/global_balance.c
index 77ed6c7a..b3a8c37f 100644
--- a/libvips/mosaicing/global_balance.c
+++ b/libvips/mosaicing/global_balance.c
@@ -1633,12 +1633,12 @@ vips__affinei( VipsImage *in, VipsImage *out, VipsTransformation *trn )
 {
 	VipsImage **t = (VipsImage **)
 		vips_object_local_array( VIPS_OBJECT( out ), 2 );
-	VipsArea *oarea;
+	VipsArrayInt *oarea;
 	gboolean repack;
 
-	oarea = VIPS_AREA( vips_array_int_newv( 4,
+	oarea = vips_array_int_newv( 4,
 		trn->oarea.left, trn->oarea.top,
-		trn->oarea.width, trn->oarea.height ) );
+		trn->oarea.width, trn->oarea.height );
 
 	/* vips7 affine would repack labq and im_benchmark() depends upon
 	 * this.
@@ -1651,10 +1651,10 @@ vips__affinei( VipsImage *in, VipsImage *out, VipsTransformation *trn )
 		"odx", trn->odx,
 		"ody", trn->ody,
 		NULL ) ) {
-		vips_area_unref( oarea );
+		vips_area_unref( VIPS_AREA( oarea ) );
 		return( -1 );
 	}
-	vips_area_unref( oarea );
+	vips_area_unref( VIPS_AREA( oarea ) );
 	in = t[0];
 
 	if( repack ) {
diff --git a/libvips/mosaicing/im_clinear.c b/libvips/mosaicing/im_clinear.c
index 61025fcd..c8a725b4 100644
--- a/libvips/mosaicing/im_clinear.c
+++ b/libvips/mosaicing/im_clinear.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ vips__clinear( TiePoints *points )
 	VipsImage *mat, *matinv;
 	double *g;
 	double value;
-	double sx1 = 0.0, sx1x1 = 0.0, sy1 = 0.0, sy1y1 = 0.0, sx1y1 = 0.0;
+	double sx1 = 0.0, sx1x1 = 0.0, sy1 = 0.0, sy1y1 = 0.0;
 	double sx2x1 = 0.0, sx2y1 = 0.0, sx2 = 0.0, sy2 = 0.0, sy2y1 = 0.0, sy2x1 = 0.0;
 
 	int i, j;
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ vips__clinear( TiePoints *points )
 		sx1x1 += xref[i] * xref[i];
 		sy1 += yref[i];
 		sy1y1 += yref[i] * yref[i];
-		sx1y1 += xref[i] * yref[i];
 		sx2x1 += xsec[i] * xref[i];
 		sx2y1 += xsec[i] * yref[i];
 		sy2y1 += ysec[i] * yref[i];
diff --git a/libvips/mosaicing/lrmosaic.c b/libvips/mosaicing/lrmosaic.c
index 835a2cfc..abec4acf 100644
--- a/libvips/mosaicing/lrmosaic.c
+++ b/libvips/mosaicing/lrmosaic.c
@@ -246,7 +246,6 @@ vips__lrmosaic( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out,
 	int bandno, 
 	int xref, int yref, int xsec, int ysec, 
 	int hwindowsize, int hsearchsize,
-	int balancetype,
 	int mwidth )
 {
 	int dx0, dy0;
diff --git a/libvips/mosaicing/match.c b/libvips/mosaicing/match.c
index 773eb225..abb6d59a 100644
--- a/libvips/mosaicing/match.c
+++ b/libvips/mosaicing/match.c
@@ -66,14 +66,14 @@ vips__coeff( int xr1, int yr1, int xs1, int ys1,
 		return( -1 );
 	}
 
-	*a = *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 0, 0 ) * xr1 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 0, 1 ) * yr1 +
-		*VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 0, 2 ) * xr2 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 0, 3 ) * yr2;
-	*b = *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 1, 0 ) * xr1 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 1, 1 ) * yr1 +
-		*VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 1, 2 ) * xr2 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 1, 3 ) * yr2;
-	*dx= *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 2, 0 ) * xr1 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 2, 1 ) * yr1 +
-		*VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 2, 2 ) * xr2 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 2, 3 ) * yr2;
-	*dy= *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 3, 0 ) * xr1 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 3, 1 ) * yr1 +
-		*VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 3, 2 ) * xr2 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 3, 3 ) * yr2;
+	*a = *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 0, 0 ) * xr1 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 1, 0 ) * yr1 +
+		*VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 2, 0 ) * xr2 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 3, 0 ) * yr2;
+	*b = *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 0, 1 ) * xr1 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 1, 1 ) * yr1 +
+		*VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 2, 1 ) * xr2 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 3, 1 ) * yr2;
+	*dx = *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 0, 2 ) * xr1 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 1, 2 ) * yr1 +
+		*VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 2, 2 ) * xr2 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 3, 2 ) * yr2;
+	*dy = *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 0, 3 ) * xr1 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 1, 3 ) * yr1 +
+		*VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 2, 3 ) * xr2 + *VIPS_MATRIX( t[1], 3, 3 ) * yr2;
 
 	g_object_unref( t[0] );
 	g_object_unref( t[1] );
diff --git a/libvips/mosaicing/mosaic1.c b/libvips/mosaicing/mosaic1.c
index 70149c27..70f960e7 100644
--- a/libvips/mosaicing/mosaic1.c
+++ b/libvips/mosaicing/mosaic1.c
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ vips__lrmerge1( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out,
 	VipsBuf buf;
 	char text[1024];
 
+	t[0] = vips_image_new();
+
 	/* Scale, rotate and displace sec.
 	 */
 	if( apply_similarity( &trn, sec, t[0], a, b, dx, dy ) )
@@ -160,6 +162,8 @@ vips__tbmerge1( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out,
 	VipsBuf buf;
 	char text[1024];
 
+	t[0] = vips_image_new();
+
 	/* Scale, rotate and displace sec.
 	 */
 	if( apply_similarity( &trn, sec, t[0], a, b, dx, dy ) )
@@ -222,11 +226,9 @@ rotjoin( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out, joinfn jfn,
  */
 static int
 rotjoin_search( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out, joinfn jfn,
-	int bandno,
 	int xr1, int yr1, int xs1, int ys1, 
 	int xr2, int yr2, int xs2, int ys2,
 	int halfcorrelation, int halfarea,
-	int balancetype,
 	int mwidth )
 { 
 	VipsTransformation trn;
@@ -250,14 +252,20 @@ rotjoin_search( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out, joinfn jfn,
 		if( vips_LabQ2LabS( ref, &t[0], NULL ) )
 			return( -1 );
 	}
-	else
+	else {
 		t[0] = ref;
+		g_object_ref( t[0] );
+	}
 	if( sec->Coding == VIPS_CODING_LABQ ) {
 		if( vips_LabQ2LabS( sec, &t[1], NULL ) )
 			return( -1 );
 	}
-	else
+	else {
 		t[1] = sec;
+		g_object_ref( t[1] );
+	}
+
+	t[2] = vips_image_new();
 
 	/* Solve to get scale + rot + disp.
 	 */
@@ -329,7 +337,6 @@ old_lrmosaic1( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out,
 	int xr1, int yr1, int xs1, int ys1, 
 	int xr2, int yr2, int xs2, int ys2,
 	int halfcorrelation, int halfarea,
-	int balancetype,
 	int mwidth )
 { 
 	VipsTransformation trn1, trn2;
@@ -346,6 +353,8 @@ old_lrmosaic1( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out,
 		vips_object_local_array( VIPS_OBJECT( out ), 2 );
 	VipsImage *dummy;
 
+	t[0] = vips_image_new();
+
 	/* Solve to get scale + rot + disp.
 	 */
 	if( vips__coeff( xr1, yr1, xs1, ys1, xr2, yr2, xs2, ys2, 
@@ -382,6 +391,8 @@ old_lrmosaic1( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out,
 	printf( "final: a = %g, b = %g, dx = %g, dy = %g\n",
 		af, bf, dxf, dyf );
 
+	t[1] = vips_image_new();
+
 	/* Scale and rotate final.
 	 */
 	if( apply_similarity( &trn2, sec, t[1], af, bf, dxf, dyf ) )
@@ -394,7 +405,7 @@ old_lrmosaic1( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out,
 
 	/* And join to ref.
 	 */
-	if( vips_merge( ref, t[1], out, VIPS_DIRECtION_HORIZONTAL,
+	if( vips_merge( ref, t[1], out, VIPS_DIRECTION_HORIZONTAL,
 		-trn2.area.left, -trn2.area.top, mwidth ) )
 		return( -1 );
 
@@ -451,11 +462,9 @@ vips_mosaic1_build( VipsObject *object )
 	if( mosaic1->search ) {
 		if( rotjoin_search( mosaic1->ref, mosaic1->sec, mosaic1->out, 
 			jfn,
-			mosaic1->bandno,
 			mosaic1->xr1, mosaic1->yr1, mosaic1->xs1, mosaic1->ys1, 
 			mosaic1->xr2, mosaic1->yr2, mosaic1->xs2, mosaic1->ys2,
-			mosaic1->hwindow, mosaic1->harea, 
-			0,
+			mosaic1->hwindow, mosaic1->harea,
 			mosaic1->mblend ) )
 			return( -1 );
 	}
@@ -602,7 +611,7 @@ vips_mosaic1_class_init( VipsMosaic1Class *class )
 	VIPS_ARG_INT( class, "bandno", 18, 
 		_( "Search band" ), 
 		_( "Band to search for features on" ),
-		VIPS_ARGUMENT_OPTIONAL_INPUT,
+		VIPS_ARGUMENT_OPTIONAL_INPUT | VIPS_ARGUMENT_DEPRECATED,
 		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsMosaic1, bandno ),
 		0, 10000, 0 );
 
@@ -639,7 +648,6 @@ vips_mosaic1_init( VipsMosaic1 *mosaic1 )
  * * @harea: half search size 
  * * @interpolate: interpolate pixels with this
  * * @mblend: maximum blend size 
- * * @bandno: band to search for features
  *
  * This operation joins two images top-bottom (with @sec on the right) 
  * or left-right (with @sec at the bottom)
diff --git a/libvips/mosaicing/tbmosaic.c b/libvips/mosaicing/tbmosaic.c
index 89ddf299..62322ad5 100644
--- a/libvips/mosaicing/tbmosaic.c
+++ b/libvips/mosaicing/tbmosaic.c
@@ -217,7 +217,6 @@ vips__tbmosaic( VipsImage *ref, VipsImage *sec, VipsImage *out,
 	int bandno,
 	int xref, int yref, int xsec, int ysec, 
 	int hwindowsize, int hsearchsize,
-	int balancetype,
 	int mwidth )
 {
 	int dx0, dy0;