diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/qc/ValidateBAQWalker.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/qc/ValidateBAQWalker.java
index 25a8eb44e..eda01bdb4 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/qc/ValidateBAQWalker.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/qc/ValidateBAQWalker.java
@@ -108,9 +108,8 @@ public class ValidateBAQWalker extends ReadWalker<Integer, Integer> {
         baqReadTimer.stop();
 
         glocalTimer.restart();
-        BAQ.MAG = magnification;
-        baqHMM.baqRead(read, refReader, BAQ.CalculationMode.RECALCULATE, BAQ.QualityMode.DONT_MODIFY);
-        BAQ.MAG = 1;
+        for ( int i = 0; i < magnification; i++ )
+            baqHMM.baqRead(read, refReader, BAQ.CalculationMode.RECALCULATE, BAQ.QualityMode.DONT_MODIFY);
         glocalTimer.stop();
     }
 
diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/baq/BAQ.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/baq/BAQ.java
index 7935b2b35..715ae6bec 100644
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/baq/BAQ.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/baq/BAQ.java
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ import org.broadinstitute.sting.utils.sam.ReadUtils;
  */
 public class BAQ {
     private final static boolean DEBUG = false;
-    public static int MAG = 1; // todo -- remove me for performance testing only
 
     public enum CalculationMode {
         OFF,                        // don't apply a BAQ at all, the default
@@ -506,8 +505,7 @@ public class BAQ {
         // note -- assumes ref is offset from the *CLIPPED* start
         BAQCalculationResult baqResult = new BAQCalculationResult(query, quals, ref);
         int queryLen = queryEnd - queryStart;
-        for ( int i = 0; i < MAG; i++ )
-            hmm_glocal(baqResult.refBases, baqResult.readBases, queryStart, queryLen, baqResult.rawQuals, baqResult.state, baqResult.bq);
+        hmm_glocal(baqResult.refBases, baqResult.readBases, queryStart, queryLen, baqResult.rawQuals, baqResult.state, baqResult.bq);
         return baqResult;
     }