diff --git a/train.lua b/train.lua
index 215b4ce..b54d4a6 100644
--- a/train.lua
+++ b/train.lua
@@ -37,10 +37,11 @@ local function split_data(x, test_size)
 end
 local function make_validation_set(x, transformer, n, patches)
    n = n or 4
+   local validation_patches = math.min(16, patches or 16)
    local data = {}
    for i = 1, #x do
-      for k = 1, math.max(n / patches, 1) do
-	 local xy = transformer(x[i], true, patches)
+      for k = 1, math.max(n / validation_patches, 1) do
+	 local xy = transformer(x[i], true, validation_patches)
 	 for j = 1, #xy do
 	    table.insert(data, {x = xy[j][1], y = xy[j][2]})
 	 end