diff --git a/src/comp/middle/tstate/bitvectors.rs b/src/comp/middle/tstate/bitvectors.rs
index 7efa499b205f..a055187e2867 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/tstate/bitvectors.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/tstate/bitvectors.rs
@@ -183,6 +183,11 @@ fn kill_prestate(fcx: &fn_ctxt, id: node_id, c: &tsconstr) -> bool {
                           node_id_to_ts_ann(fcx.ccx, id).states);
 }
 
+fn kill_all_prestate(fcx: &fn_ctxt, id: node_id) {
+    tritv::tritv_kill(node_id_to_ts_ann(fcx.ccx, id).states.prestate);
+}
+
+
 fn kill_poststate(fcx: &fn_ctxt, id: node_id, c: &tsconstr) -> bool {
     log "kill_poststate";
     ret clear_in_poststate(bit_num(fcx, c),
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/tstate/states.rs b/src/comp/middle/tstate/states.rs
index a78522fcf3de..0f7d920e6ce9 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/tstate/states.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/tstate/states.rs
@@ -594,6 +594,7 @@ fn find_pre_post_state_stmt(fcx: &fn_ctxt, pres: &prestate, s: @stmt)
     -> bool {
     let stmt_ann = stmt_to_ann(fcx.ccx, *s);
 /*
+    log_err ("[" + fcx.name + "]");
     log_err "*At beginning: stmt = ";
     log_stmt_err(*s);
     log_err "*prestate = ";
@@ -617,7 +618,8 @@ fn find_pre_post_state_stmt(fcx: &fn_ctxt, pres: &prestate, s: @stmt)
 
             let changed = (set_poststate(stmt_ann, c_and_p.post)
                            | c_and_p.changed);
-            /*
+
+/*
                 log_err "Summary: stmt = ";
                 log_stmt_err(*s);
                 log_err "prestate = ";
@@ -638,11 +640,12 @@ fn find_pre_post_state_stmt(fcx: &fn_ctxt, pres: &prestate, s: @stmt)
         }
       }
       stmt_expr(ex, _) {
-        ret find_pre_post_state_expr(fcx, pres, ex) |
+        let changed = find_pre_post_state_expr(fcx, pres, ex) |
                 set_prestate(stmt_ann, expr_prestate(fcx.ccx, ex)) |
                 set_poststate(stmt_ann, expr_poststate(fcx.ccx, ex));
-        /*
-        log_err "Finally:";
+
+/*
+       log_err "Finally:";
           log_stmt_err(*s);
           log_err("prestate = ");
           //              log_err(bitv::to_str(stmt_ann.states.prestate));
@@ -651,8 +654,9 @@ fn find_pre_post_state_stmt(fcx: &fn_ctxt, pres: &prestate, s: @stmt)
           //   log_err(bitv::to_str(stmt_ann.states.poststate));
           log_tritv_err(fcx, stmt_ann.states.poststate);
           log_err("changed =");
-          log_err(changed);
-        */
+*/
+
+          ret changed;
       }
       _ { ret false; }
     }
@@ -707,9 +711,9 @@ fn find_pre_post_state_block(fcx: &fn_ctxt, pres0: &prestate, b: &blk) ->
 fn find_pre_post_state_fn(fcx: &fn_ctxt, f: &_fn) -> bool {
 
     let num_constrs = num_constraints(fcx.enclosing);
-    // make sure the return and diverge bits start out False
-    kill_prestate(fcx, f.body.node.id, fcx.enclosing.i_return);
-    kill_prestate(fcx, f.body.node.id, fcx.enclosing.i_diverge);
+    // All constraints are considered false until proven otherwise.
+    // This ensures that intersect works correctly.
+    kill_all_prestate(fcx, f.body.node.id);
 
     // Instantiate any constraints on the arguments so we can use them
     let block_pre = block_prestate(fcx.ccx, f.body);
diff --git a/src/comp/middle/tstate/tritv.rs b/src/comp/middle/tstate/tritv.rs
index 7615b84aea8d..1d33292c9a9f 100644
--- a/src/comp/middle/tstate/tritv.rs
+++ b/src/comp/middle/tstate/tritv.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ export tritv_union;
 export tritv_intersect;
 export tritv_copy;
 export tritv_clear;
+export tritv_kill;
 export tritv_doesntcare;
 export to_str;
 
@@ -218,6 +219,11 @@ fn tritv_clear(v: &t) {
     while i < v.nbits { tritv_set(i, v, dont_care); i += 1u; }
 }
 
+fn tritv_kill(v: &t) {
+    let i: uint = 0u;
+    while i < v.nbits { tritv_set(i, v, tfalse); i += 1u; }
+}
+
 fn tritv_clone(v: &t) -> t {
     ret {uncertain: bitv::clone(v.uncertain),
          val: bitv::clone(v.val),
diff --git a/src/test/compile-fail/alt-join.rs b/src/test/compile-fail/alt-join.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..bbd4ac5c73aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/compile-fail/alt-join.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+// error-pattern:Unsatisfied precondition constraint
+// a good test that we merge paths correctly in the presence of a
+// variable that's used before it's declared
+// should be rejected by typestate because we use x without initializing it
+
+fn my_fail() -> ! { fail; }
+
+fn main() {
+
+    alt (true) {
+      false { my_fail(); }
+      true {}
+    }
+
+    log x;
+    let x:int;
+}
\ No newline at end of file