diff --git a/gstlal-inspiral/bin/gstlal_inspiral b/gstlal-inspiral/bin/gstlal_inspiral
index b2156f6d654f4b13046d18d1eeba33ea18242a8d..32dfa11115c693a311c72d4baa8e58609ec1489a 100755
--- a/gstlal-inspiral/bin/gstlal_inspiral
+++ b/gstlal-inspiral/bin/gstlal_inspiral
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@
 #	+ `--nxydump-segment` [start:stop]: Set the time interval to dump from nxydump elments (optional).  The default is \":\", i.e. dump all time."
 #	+ `--output` [filename]: Set the name of the LIGO light-weight XML output file *.{xml,xml.gz} or an SQLite database *.sqlite (required).
 #	+ `--reference-psd` [filename]: Instead of measuring the noise spectrum, load the spectrum from this LIGO light-weight XML file (optional).
-#	+ `--track-psd`: Track PSD even if a reference is given.
+#	+ `--track-psd`: Enable dynamic PSD tracking.  Always enabled if --reference-psd is not given.
 #	+ `--svd-bank` [filename]: Set the name of the LIGO light-weight XML file from which to load the svd bank for a given instrument in the form ifo:file, These can be given as a comma separated list such as H1:file1,H2:file2,L1:file3 to analyze multiple instruments.  This option can be given multiple times in order to analyze bank serially.  At least one svd bank for at least 2 detectors is required.
 #	+ `--time-slide-file` [filename]: Set the name of the xml file to get time slide offsets (required).
 #	+ `--control-peak-time` [time] (int): Set a time window in seconds to find peaks in the control signal.
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ def parse_command_line():
 	parser.add_option("--output", metavar = "filename", action = "append", default = [], help = "Set the name of the LIGO light-weight XML output file *.{xml,xml.gz} or an SQLite database *.sqlite (required).")
 	parser.add_option("--output-cache", metavar = "filename", help = "Provide a cache file with the names of the LIGO light-weight XML output file *.{xml,xml.gz} or an SQLite database *.sqlite (required).")
 	parser.add_option("--reference-psd", metavar = "filename", help = "Instead of measuring the noise spectrum, load the spectrum from this LIGO light-weight XML file (optional).")
-	parser.add_option("--track-psd", action = "store_true", help = "Track PSD even if a reference is given")
+	parser.add_option("--track-psd", action = "store_true", help = "Enable dynamic PSD tracking.  Always enabled if --reference-psd is not given.")
 	parser.add_option("--svd-bank", metavar = "filename", action = "append", default = [], help = "Set the name of the LIGO light-weight XML file from which to load the svd bank for a given instrument in the form ifo:file, These can be given as a comma separated list such as H1:file1,H2:file2,L1:file3 to analyze multiple instruments.  This option can be given multiple times in order to analyze bank serially.  At least one svd bank for at least 2 detectors is required.")
 	parser.add_option("--svd-bank-cache", metavar = "filename", help = "Provide a cache file of svd-bank files")
 	parser.add_option("--time-slide-file", metavar = "filename", help = "Set the name of the xml file to get time slide offsets (required).")
@@ -418,8 +418,8 @@ def parse_command_line():
 		if bad_options:
 			raise ValueError("%s options can only be given for --data-source is lvshm or framexmit " % ", ".join(bad_options))
 
-	if options.reference_psd is None and not options.track_psd:
-		raise ValueError("must use --track-psd if no reference psd is given, you can use both simultaneously")
+	if options.reference_psd is None:
+		options.track_psd = True
 	if options.psd_fft_length < 32:
 		raise ValueError("--psd-fft-length cannot be less than 32")
 	if options.local_frame_caching and not options.data_source == "frames":
diff --git a/gstlal/bin/gstlal_fake_frames b/gstlal/bin/gstlal_fake_frames
index 549ef83ca3b0f08c36e07ff09136a6aee05f2fba..8060352c71594f1b10f8bb1096f35e1654802be1 100755
--- a/gstlal/bin/gstlal_fake_frames
+++ b/gstlal/bin/gstlal_fake_frames
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ from glue.ligolw import utils as ligolw_utils
 #	+ `--shift` [int] (ns): Number of nanoseconds, \f$\tau\f$ to delay (negative) or advance (positive) the input time series \f$x\f$ relative to the output time series \f$y\f$. \f$ y(t) = x(t+\tau)\f$
 #	+ `--sample-rate` [int] (Hz): Sample rate at which to generate the data, should be less than or equal to the sample rate of the measured psds provided.  Default = 16384 Hz, max 16384 Hz.
 # 	+ `--whiten-reference-psd` [file name]: Set the name of psd xml file to whiten the data with.
-#	+ `--whiten-track-psd` []: Calculate PSD from input data and track with time.
+#	+ `--whiten-track-psd` []: Calculate PSD from input data and track with time.  Always enabled if --whiten-reference-psd is not given.
 #	+ `--color-psd` [file name]: Set the name of psd xml file to color the data with
 #	+ `--output-path` [file path]: Path to output frame files. Default = "."
 #	+ `--output-channel-name` [string]: The name of the channel in the output frames. The default is the same as the channel name.
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ def parse_command_line():
 	parser.add_option("--shift", metavar = "ns", help = "Number of nanoseconds to delay (negative) or advance (positive) the time stream", type = "int")
 	parser.add_option("--sample-rate", metavar = "Hz", default = 16384, type = "int", help = "Sample rate at which to generate the data, should be less than or equal to the sample rate of the measured psds provided, default = 16384 Hz, max 16384 Hz")
 	parser.add_option("--whiten-reference-psd", metavar = "name", help = "Set the name of psd xml file to whiten the data with")
-	parser.add_option("--whiten-track-psd", action = "store_true", help = "Calculate PSD from input data and track with time.")
+	parser.add_option("--whiten-track-psd", action = "store_true", help = "Calculate PSD from input data and track with time.  Always enabled if --whiten-reference-psd is not given.")
 	parser.add_option("--color-psd", metavar = "name", help = "Set the name of psd xml file to color the data with")
 	parser.add_option("--output-path", metavar = "name", default = ".", help = "Path to output frame files (default = \".\").")
 	parser.add_option("--output-channel-name", metavar = "name", help = "The name of the channel in the output frames. The default is the same as the channel name")
@@ -220,6 +220,9 @@ def parse_command_line():
 	if options.frame_type is None:
 		raise ValueError("--frame-type is required")
 
+	if options.whiten_reference_psd is None:
+		options.whiten_track_psd = True
+
 	return options, filenames
 
 
diff --git a/gstlal/python/multirate_datasource.py b/gstlal/python/multirate_datasource.py
index 37bad0ece0385243854585e5ec8d4f8bd9457147..47cc50fa6b965080c3969a166126afe465057b01 100644
--- a/gstlal/python/multirate_datasource.py
+++ b/gstlal/python/multirate_datasource.py
@@ -156,6 +156,13 @@ def mkwhitened_multirate_src(pipeline, src, rates, instrument, psd = None, psd_f
 	- track_psd: decide whether to dynamically track the spectrum or use the fixed spectrum provided
 	- width: type convert to either 32 or 64 bit float
 	"""
+	#
+	# input sanity checks
+	#
+
+	if psd is None and not track_psd:
+		raise ValueError("must enable track_psd when psd is None")
+
 	#
 	# set default whitener zero-padding if needed
 	#
@@ -257,24 +264,19 @@ def mkwhitened_multirate_src(pipeline, src, rates, instrument, psd = None, psd_f
 		# really help with RAM
 		head = pipeparts.mkreblock(pipeline, head, block_duration = block_duration)
 
-	if psd is None:
-		# use running average PSD
-		whiten.set_property("psd-mode", 0)
-	else:
-		if track_psd:
-			# use running average PSD
-			whiten.set_property("psd-mode", 0)
-		else:
-			# use fixed PSD
-			whiten.set_property("psd-mode", 1)
+	#
+	# enable/disable PSD tracking
+	#
+
+	whiten.set_property("psd-mode", 0 if track_psd else 1)
 
-		#
-		# install signal handler to retrieve \Delta f and
-		# f_{Nyquist} whenever they are known and/or change,
-		# resample the user-supplied PSD, and install it into the
-		# whitener.
-		#
+	#
+	# install signal handler to retrieve \Delta f and f_{Nyquist}
+	# whenever they are known and/or change, resample the user-supplied
+	# PSD, and install it into the whitener.
+	#
 
+	if psd is not None:
 		def psd_units_or_resolution_changed(elem, pspec, psd):
 			# make sure units are set, compute scale factor
 			units = lal.Unit(elem.get_property("psd-units"))