diff --git a/src/openalpr/licenseplatecandidate.cpp b/src/openalpr/licenseplatecandidate.cpp
index c4bf089..6fa2b31 100644
--- a/src/openalpr/licenseplatecandidate.cpp
+++ b/src/openalpr/licenseplatecandidate.cpp
@@ -47,9 +47,6 @@ void LicensePlateCandidate::recognize()
   Mat plate_bgr = Mat(frame, expandedRegion);
   resize(plate_bgr, plate_bgr, Size(config->templateWidthPx, config->templateHeightPx));
 
-  Mat plate_bgr_cleaned = Mat(plate_bgr.size(), plate_bgr.type());
-  this->cleanupColors(plate_bgr, plate_bgr_cleaned);
-
   CharacterRegion charRegion(plate_bgr, config);
 
   if (charRegion.confidence > 10)
@@ -58,7 +55,7 @@ void LicensePlateCandidate::recognize()
     //Mat boogedy = charRegion.getPlateMask();
 
     plateLines.processImage(charRegion.getPlateMask(), &charRegion, 1.10);
-    plateLines.processImage(plate_bgr_cleaned, &charRegion, 0.9);
+    plateLines.processImage(plate_bgr, &charRegion, 0.9);
 
     PlateCorners cornerFinder(plate_bgr, &plateLines, &charRegion, config);
     vector<Point> smallPlateCorners = cornerFinder.findPlateCorners();
@@ -139,40 +136,3 @@ Mat LicensePlateCandidate::deSkewPlate(Mat inputImage, vector<Point2f> corners)
   return deskewed;
 }
 
-void LicensePlateCandidate::cleanupColors(Mat inputImage, Mat outputImage)
-{
-  if (this->config->debugGeneral)
-    cout << "LicensePlate::cleanupColors" << endl;
-
-  //Mat normalized(inputImage.size(), inputImage.type());
-
-  Mat intermediate(inputImage.size(), inputImage.type());
-
-  normalize(inputImage, intermediate, 0, 255, CV_MINMAX );
-
-  // Equalize intensity:
-  if(intermediate.channels() >= 3)
-  {
-    Mat ycrcb;
-
-    cvtColor(intermediate,ycrcb,CV_BGR2YCrCb);
-
-    vector<Mat> channels;
-    split(ycrcb,channels);
-
-    equalizeHist(channels[0], channels[0]);
-
-    merge(channels,ycrcb);
-
-    cvtColor(ycrcb,intermediate,CV_YCrCb2BGR);
-
-    //ycrcb.release();
-  }
-
-  bilateralFilter(intermediate, outputImage, 3, 25, 35);
-
-  if (this->config->debugGeneral)
-  {
-    displayImage(config, "After cleanup", outputImage);
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/openalpr/licenseplatecandidate.h b/src/openalpr/licenseplatecandidate.h
index 5d5c15f..b1bab3a 100644
--- a/src/openalpr/licenseplatecandidate.h
+++ b/src/openalpr/licenseplatecandidate.h
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ class LicensePlateCandidate
     Mat frame;
     Rect plateRegion;
 
-    void cleanupColors(Mat inputImage, Mat outputImage);
     Mat filterByCharacterHue(vector<vector<Point> > charRegionContours);
     vector<Point> findPlateCorners(Mat inputImage, PlateLines plateLines, CharacterRegion charRegion);	// top-left, top-right, bottom-right, bottom-left
 
diff --git a/src/openalpr/platelines.cpp b/src/openalpr/platelines.cpp
index e7f31e3..20e5efc 100644
--- a/src/openalpr/platelines.cpp
+++ b/src/openalpr/platelines.cpp
@@ -40,9 +40,20 @@ void PlateLines::processImage(Mat inputImage, CharacterRegion* charRegion, float
   timespec startTime;
   getTime(&startTime);
 
+  // Copy the input image over to the "smoothed" image as grayscale
+  Mat smoothed;
+  cvtColor(inputImage, smoothed, CV_BGR2GRAY);
+  
+  drawAndWait(&inputImage);
+  // Ignore input images that are pure white or pure black
+  Scalar avgPixelIntensity = mean(smoothed);
+  if (avgPixelIntensity[0] == 255)
+    return;
+  else if (avgPixelIntensity[0] == 0)
+    return;
+  
+  drawAndWait(&smoothed);
   
-  Mat smoothed(inputImage.size(), inputImage.type());
-  inputImage.copyTo(smoothed);
   int morph_elem  = 2;
   int morph_size = 2;
   Mat element = getStructuringElement( morph_elem, Size( 2*morph_size + 1, 2*morph_size+1 ), Point( morph_size, morph_size ) );
@@ -225,6 +236,44 @@ vector<LineSegment> PlateLines::getLines(Mat edges, bool vertical)
 }
 */
 
+void PlateLines::cleanupColors(Mat inputImage, Mat outputImage)
+{
+  if (this->config->debugGeneral)
+    cout << "LicensePlate::cleanupColors" << endl;
+
+  //Mat normalized(inputImage.size(), inputImage.type());
+
+  Mat intermediate(inputImage.size(), inputImage.type());
+
+  normalize(inputImage, intermediate, 0, 255, CV_MINMAX );
+
+  // Equalize intensity:
+  if(intermediate.channels() >= 3)
+  {
+    Mat ycrcb;
+
+    cvtColor(intermediate,ycrcb,CV_BGR2YCrCb);
+
+    vector<Mat> channels;
+    split(ycrcb,channels);
+
+    equalizeHist(channels[0], channels[0]);
+
+    merge(channels,ycrcb);
+
+    cvtColor(ycrcb,intermediate,CV_YCrCb2BGR);
+
+    //ycrcb.release();
+  }
+
+  bilateralFilter(intermediate, outputImage, 3, 25, 35);
+
+  if (this->config->debugGeneral)
+  {
+    displayImage(config, "After cleanup", outputImage);
+  }
+}
+
 vector<LineSegment> PlateLines::getLines(Mat edges, float sensitivityMultiplier, bool vertical)
 {
   if (this->debug)
diff --git a/src/openalpr/platelines.h b/src/openalpr/platelines.h
index f95e65d..7d0839a 100644
--- a/src/openalpr/platelines.h
+++ b/src/openalpr/platelines.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ class PlateLines
     Config* config;
     bool debug;
 
+    void cleanupColors(Mat inputImage, Mat outputImage);
     Mat customGrayscaleConversion(Mat src);
     void findLines(Mat inputImage);
     vector<LineSegment> getLines(Mat edges, float sensitivityMultiplier, bool vertical);