diff --git a/stim/image/image.h b/stim/image/image.h
index a711abd..a479eb5 100644
--- a/stim/image/image.h
+++ b/stim/image/image.h
@@ -402,15 +402,13 @@ public:
 	/// Set all elements in the image to a given scalar value
 
 	/// @param v is the value used to set all values in the image
-	image<T> operator=(T v){
-
+	void set_all(T v) {														//set all elements of the image to a given value v
 		size_t N = size();
-
-		for(size_t n = 0; n < N; n++)
-			img[n] = v;
-
+		for (size_t n = 0; n < N; n++) img[n] = v;
+	}
+	image<T> operator=(T v){
+		set_all(v);
 		return *this;
-
 	}
 
 	/// invert the image, given a specified maximum value (ex. maxval = 255, I' = 255 - I)
@@ -426,8 +424,12 @@ public:
 	image<T> stretch(T low, T high) {
 		T maxval = maxv();
 		T minval = minv();
-		
 		image<T> result = *this;				//create a new image for output
+		if (maxval == minval) {					//if the minimum and maximum values are the same, return an image composed of low
+			result = low;
+			return result;
+		}	
+		
 		size_t N = size();						//get the number of values in the image
 		T range = maxval - minval;			//calculate the current range of the image
 		T desired_range = high - low;		//calculate the desired range of the image
--
libgit2 0.21.4