diff --git a/python/front_end/zsample.py b/python/front_end/zsample.py
index ebea7584..4b65df93 100644
--- a/python/front_end/zsample.py
+++ b/python/front_end/zsample.py
@@ -56,21 +56,22 @@ def __init__(self, config, pars, sample_id, net, \
                                       outsz, setsz_in, fov, is_forward=is_forward )
             self.imgs[name] = self.ins[name].data
 
-        print "\ncreate label image class..."
         self.lbls = dict()
         self.msks = dict()
         self.outs = dict()
-        for name,setsz_out in self.setsz_outs.iteritems():
-            #Allowing for users to abstain from specifying labels
-            if not config.has_option(self.sec_name, name):
-                continue
-            #Finding the section of the config file
-            imid = config.getint(self.sec_name, name)
-            imsec_name = "label%d" % (imid,)
-            self.outs[name] = ConfigOutputLabel( config, pars, imsec_name, \
-                                                 outsz, setsz_out, fov)
-            self.lbls[name] = self.outs[name].data
-            self.msks[name] = self.outs[name].msk
+        if not is_forward:
+            print "\ncreate label image class..."
+            for name,setsz_out in self.setsz_outs.iteritems():
+                #Allowing for users to abstain from specifying labels
+                if not config.has_option(self.sec_name, name):
+                    continue
+                #Finding the section of the config file
+                imid = config.getint(self.sec_name, name)
+                imsec_name = "label%d" % (imid,)
+                self.outs[name] = ConfigOutputLabel( config, pars, imsec_name, \
+                                                     outsz, setsz_out, fov)
+                self.lbls[name] = self.outs[name].data
+                self.msks[name] = self.outs[name].msk
 
         if not is_forward:
             self._prepare_training()
diff --git a/src/include/network/parallel/network.hpp b/src/include/network/parallel/network.hpp
index f9852c45..60a8f7a8 100644
--- a/src/include/network/parallel/network.hpp
+++ b/src/include/network/parallel/network.hpp
@@ -123,40 +123,47 @@ class network
 #endif
 
 
-    void fov_pass(nnodes* n, const vec3i& fov, const vec3i& fsize )
+    void fov_pass(nnodes* n, vec3i fov, const vec3i& fsize )
     {
         if ( n->fov != vec3i::zero )
         {
             ZI_ASSERT(n->fsize==fsize);
-            ZI_ASSERT(n->fov==fov);
+            if ( n->fov == fov )
+            {
+                return;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                fov[0] = std::max(n->fov[0],fov[0]);
+                fov[1] = std::max(n->fov[1],fov[1]);
+                fov[2] = std::max(n->fov[2],fov[2]);
+            }
         }
-        else
+
+        for ( auto& e: n->out )
         {
-            for ( auto& e: n->out )
+            e->in_fsize = fsize;
+        }
+        n->fov = fov;
+        n->fsize = fsize;
+        for ( auto& e: n->in )
+        {
+            if ( e->pool )
             {
-                e->in_fsize = fsize;
+                vec3i new_fov   = fov * e->width;
+                vec3i new_fsize = e->width * fsize;
+                fov_pass(e->in, new_fov, new_fsize);
             }
-            n->fov = fov;
-            n->fsize = fsize;
-            for ( auto& e: n->in )
+            else if ( e->crop )
             {
-                if ( e->pool )
-                {
-                    vec3i new_fov   = fov * e->width;
-                    vec3i new_fsize = e->width * fsize;
-                    fov_pass(e->in, new_fov, new_fsize);
-                }
-                else if ( e->crop )
-                {
-                    // FoV doesn't change
-                    fov_pass(e->in, fov, fsize + e->width - vec3i::one);
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    vec3i new_fov   = (fov - vec3i::one) * e->stride + e->width;
-                    vec3i new_fsize = (e->width-vec3i::one) * e->in_stride + fsize;
-                    fov_pass(e->in, new_fov, new_fsize);
-                }
+                // FoV doesn't change
+                fov_pass(e->in, fov, fsize + e->width - vec3i::one);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                vec3i new_fov   = (fov - vec3i::one) * e->stride + e->width;
+                vec3i new_fsize = (e->width-vec3i::one) * e->in_stride + fsize;
+                fov_pass(e->in, new_fov, new_fsize);
             }
         }
     }