diff --git a/3_pairmatchingGUI/gtMatchInitialize.m b/3_pairmatchingGUI/gtMatchInitialize.m
index 398e8fa49471ccbeab6032fe42844bb3e8d800ea..017b9932c1f5752caa8e6be0db64a42b31f93d3d 100644
--- a/3_pairmatchingGUI/gtMatchInitialize.m
+++ b/3_pairmatchingGUI/gtMatchInitialize.m
@@ -402,12 +402,18 @@ end
 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
 %% Theta filter limits
 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
-if ~isempty(parameters.match.thetalimits)
-    handles.ThetaLimits = parameters.match.thetalimits;
+if isempty(parameters.match.thetalimits)
+    if (isempty(handles.labgeo.detanglemin) || ...
+        isempty(handles.labgeo.detanglemax))
+        handles.ThetaLimits = [0 45];
+    else
+        handles.ThetaLimits = 0.5*[handles.labgeo.detanglemin, ...
+                                   handles.labgeo.detanglemax];
+    end
 else
-    handles.ThetaLimits = 0.5*[handles.labgeo.detanglemin, ...
-                               handles.labgeo.detanglemax];
+    handles.ThetaLimits = parameters.match.thetalimits;
 end
+
 handles.ThetaLimLastLow  = handles.ThetaLimits(1);
 handles.ThetaLimLastHigh = handles.ThetaLimits(2);