diff --git a/site/models/behaviors/linkable.php b/site/models/behaviors/linkable.php
index 8bc10da..2a60128 100644
--- a/site/models/behaviors/linkable.php
+++ b/site/models/behaviors/linkable.php
@@ -254,26 +254,72 @@ class LinkableBehavior extends ModelBehavior {
 			else
 				$associationAlias = $modelAlias;
 
+			$this->pr(30,
+				  array('checkpoint' => 'Options/Association pre-merge',
+					compact('association', 'options'),
+					));
+
 			// A couple exceptions before performing a union of
 			// options and association.  Namely, most fields result
 			// in either/or, but a couple should include BOTH the
 			// options AND the association settings.
 			foreach (array('fields', 'conditions') AS $fld) {
-				if (isset($options[$fld]) && empty($options[$fld]) && !is_array($options[$fld]))
+				$this->pr(31,
+					  array('checkpoint' => 'Options/Associations field original',
+						compact('fld') +
+						array("options[$fld]" =>
+						      array('value' => array_key_exists($fld, $options) ? (isset($options[$fld]) ? $options[$fld] : '-null-') : '-unset-',
+							    'type' => array_key_exists($fld, $options) ? (isset($options[$fld]) ? gettype($options[$fld]) : '-null-') : '-unset-'),
+						      "association[$fld]" =>
+						      array('value' => array_key_exists($fld, $association) ? (isset($association[$fld]) ? $association[$fld] : '-null-') : '-unset-',
+							    'type' => array_key_exists($fld, $association) ? (isset($association[$fld]) ? gettype($association[$fld]) : '-null-') : '-unset-'),
+						      )));
+
+				if (!isset($options[$fld]) ||
+				    (empty($options[$fld]) && !is_array($options[$fld])))
 					unset($options[$fld]);
 				elseif (!empty($options[$fld]) && !is_array($options[$fld]))
 					$options[$fld] = array($options[$fld]);
 
-				if (isset($association[$fld]) && empty($association[$fld]) && !is_array($association[$fld]))
+				if (!isset($association[$fld]) ||
+				    (empty($association[$fld]) && !is_array($association[$fld])))
 					unset($association[$fld]);
 				elseif (!empty($association[$fld]) && !is_array($association[$fld]))
 					$association[$fld] = array($association[$fld]);
 
+			
+				$this->pr(31,
+					  array('checkpoint' => 'Options/Associations field normalize',
+						compact('fld') +
+						array("options[$fld]" =>
+						      array('value' => array_key_exists($fld, $options) ? (isset($options[$fld]) ? $options[$fld] : '-null-') : '-unset-',
+							    'type' => array_key_exists($fld, $options) ? (isset($options[$fld]) ? gettype($options[$fld]) : '-null-') : '-unset-'),
+						      "association[$fld]" =>
+						      array('value' => array_key_exists($fld, $association) ? (isset($association[$fld]) ? $association[$fld] : '-null-') : '-unset-',
+							    'type' => array_key_exists($fld, $association) ? (isset($association[$fld]) ? gettype($association[$fld]) : '-null-') : '-unset-'),
+						      )));
+
 				if (isset($options[$fld]) && isset($association[$fld]))
 					$options[$fld] = array_merge($options[$fld],
 								     $association[$fld]);
+
+				$this->pr(31,
+					  array('checkpoint' => 'Options/Associations field merge complete',
+						compact('fld') +
+						array("options[$fld]" =>
+						      array('value' => array_key_exists($fld, $options) ? (isset($options[$fld]) ? $options[$fld] : '-null-') : '-unset-',
+							    'type' => array_key_exists($fld, $options) ? (isset($options[$fld]) ? gettype($options[$fld]) : '-null-') : '-unset-'),
+						      "association[$fld]" =>
+						      array('value' => array_key_exists($fld, $association) ? (isset($association[$fld]) ? $association[$fld] : '-null-') : '-unset-',
+							    'type' => array_key_exists($fld, $association) ? (isset($association[$fld]) ? gettype($association[$fld]) : '-null-') : '-unset-'),
+						      )));
 			}
 
+			$this->pr(30,
+				  array('checkpoint' => 'Options/Association post-merge',
+					compact('association', 'options'),
+					));
+
 			// For any option that's not already set, use
 			// whatever is specified by the assocation.
 			$options += array_intersect_key($association, $this->_options);