diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 710b2429..fb19c629 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,16 +1,6 @@
 
 - python:
 
-	- try:
-
-		$ python test_arithmetic.py -v TestArithmetic.test_moreeq
-		test_moreeq (__main__.TestArithmetic) ... **
-		VIPS:ERROR:cache.c:606:vips_cache_insert: assertion failed:
-		(!g_hash_table_lookup( vips_cache_table, operation ))
-		Aborted (core dumped)
-
-	  same for more; less, lesseq, equal and noteq are fine
-
 	- could import like this:
 
 		from gi.repository import Vips 
@@ -19,6 +9,9 @@
 	  ie. make it a module, not a package, and make it clear that it
 	  modifies Vips rather than adding anything itself
 
+	- should be a separate package?
+
+	  easier to get into CPAN or whatever the python thing is called
 
 
 - can we pick the vipsthumbnail int shrink factor more intelligently?
diff --git a/libvips/arithmetic/relational.c b/libvips/arithmetic/relational.c
index 42faaeb9..d2e73bad 100644
--- a/libvips/arithmetic/relational.c
+++ b/libvips/arithmetic/relational.c
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
  * 	- complex ==, != were broken
  * 16/7/12
  * 	- im1 > im2, im1 >= im2 were broken 
+ * 17/9/14
+ * 	- im1 > im2, im1 >= im2 were still broken, but in a more subtle way
  */
 
 /*
@@ -87,31 +89,9 @@ typedef VipsBinaryClass VipsRelationalClass;
 
 G_DEFINE_TYPE( VipsRelational, vips_relational, VIPS_TYPE_BINARY );
 
-static int
-vips_relational_build( VipsObject *object )
-{
-	VipsRelational *relational = (VipsRelational *) object;
-	VipsBinary *binary = (VipsBinary *) object;
-
-	if( relational->relational == VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MORE ) {
-		relational->relational = VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESS;
-		VIPS_SWAP( VipsImage *, binary->left, binary->right );
-	}
-
-	if( relational->relational == VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MOREEQ ) {
-		relational->relational = VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESSEQ;
-		VIPS_SWAP( VipsImage *, binary->left, binary->right );
-	}
-
-	if( VIPS_OBJECT_CLASS( vips_relational_parent_class )->build( object ) )
-		return( -1 );
-
-	return( 0 );
-}
-
 #define RLOOP( TYPE, ROP ) { \
-	TYPE * restrict left = (TYPE *) in[0]; \
-	TYPE * restrict right = (TYPE *) in[1]; \
+	TYPE * restrict left = (TYPE *) in0; \
+	TYPE * restrict right = (TYPE *) in1; \
 	VipsPel * restrict q = (VipsPel *) out; \
 	\
 	for( x = 0; x < sz; x++ ) \
@@ -119,8 +99,8 @@ vips_relational_build( VipsObject *object )
 }
 
 #define CLOOP( TYPE, COP ) { \
-	TYPE * restrict left = (TYPE *) in[0]; \
-	TYPE * restrict right = (TYPE *) in[1]; \
+	TYPE * restrict left = (TYPE *) in0; \
+	TYPE * restrict right = (TYPE *) in1; \
 	VipsPel * restrict q = (VipsPel *) out; \
 	\
 	for( x = 0; x < sz; x++ ) { \
@@ -163,9 +143,26 @@ vips_relational_buffer( VipsArithmetic *arithmetic,
 	VipsImage *im = arithmetic->ready[0];
 	const int sz = width * vips_image_get_bands( im );
 
+	VipsOperationRelational op;
+	VipsPel *in0;
+	VipsPel *in1;
 	int x;
 
-	switch( relational->relational ) {
+	in0 = in[0];
+	in1 = in[1];
+	op = relational->relational;
+
+	if( op == VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MORE ) {
+		op = VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESS;
+		VIPS_SWAP( VipsPel *, in0, in1 );
+	}
+
+	if( op == VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_MOREEQ ) {
+		op = VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_LESSEQ;
+		VIPS_SWAP( VipsPel *, in0, in1 );
+	}
+
+	switch( op ) {
 	case VIPS_OPERATION_RELATIONAL_EQUAL: 	
 		SWITCH( RLOOP, CLOOP, ==, CEQUAL ); 
 		break;
@@ -217,7 +214,6 @@ vips_relational_class_init( VipsRelationalClass *class )
 
 	object_class->nickname = "relational";
 	object_class->description = _( "relational operation on two images" );
-	object_class->build = vips_relational_build;
 
 	aclass->process_line = vips_relational_buffer;