diff --git a/src/ctskymap/ctskymap.cpp b/src/ctskymap/ctskymap.cpp
index d2b0093..fd0a134 100644
--- a/src/ctskymap/ctskymap.cpp
+++ b/src/ctskymap/ctskymap.cpp
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ void ctskymap::get_parameters(void)
 
     // If IRF background subtraction is requested then make sure that the
     // CTA observations in the observation container have response information
-    if (m_bkgsubtract == "IRF") {
+    if (m_bkgsubtract != "NONE") {
         set_response(m_obs);
     }
 
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ void ctskymap::map_background_ring(GCTAObservation* obs)
                           get_obs_header(obs)+" to compute IRF background. "
                           "Please specify response information or use "
                           "another background subtraction method.";
-        throw GException::invalid_value(G_BKG_SUBTRACT_IRF, msg);
+        throw GException::invalid_value(G_BKG_SUBTRACT_RING, msg);
     }
 
     // Get IRF background template
@@ -758,7 +758,7 @@ void ctskymap::map_background_ring(GCTAObservation* obs)
                           "response function for "+
                           get_obs_header(obs)+". Please specify an instrument "
                           "response function containing a background template.";
-        throw GException::invalid_value(G_BKG_SUBTRACT_IRF, msg);
+        throw GException::invalid_value(G_BKG_SUBTRACT_RING, msg);
     }
 
     // Compute natural logarithm of energy range in MeV
@@ -836,9 +836,7 @@ void ctskymap::map_background_ring(GCTAObservation* obs)
         else {
 
             // Compute the on, off and alpha parameters
-            double n_on(0);
-            double n_off(0);
-            double alpha(0);
+            double n_on(0.0), n_off(0.0), alpha(0.0);
             compute_ring_values(m_skymap, sens, m_dirs[ibin],
                                 n_on, n_off, alpha);
 
@@ -886,6 +884,12 @@ void ctskymap::map_significance(void)
             // Loop through each bin in the on-counts map
             for (int i = 0; i < m_onmap.npix(); ++i) {
 
+                // Since this can take a long time, keep the user updated on
+                // the progress when another 10% of pixels is processed
+                if (i%(m_onmap.npix()/10)==0) {
+                    log_value(NORMAL, "Pixels remaining", m_onmap.npix()-i);
+                }
+
                 // Get bin coordinate
                 GSkyDir& skydir = m_dirs[i];
 
diff --git a/test/test_ctskymap.py b/test/test_ctskymap.py
index 54be18c..80e5ca9 100755
--- a/test/test_ctskymap.py
+++ b/test/test_ctskymap.py
@@ -206,6 +206,10 @@ class Test(test):
         # Publish with name
         skymap.publish('My sky map')
 
+        # ================================
+        # TEST IRF BACKGROUND SUBTRACTION
+        # ================================
+        
         # Allocate ctskymap tool from observation container
         skymap = ctools.ctskymap(obs)
         skymap['emin']        = 0.1
@@ -229,7 +233,41 @@ class Test(test):
         skymap.execute()
 
         # Check result file
-        self._check_result_file('ctskymap_py3.fits')
+        self._check_result_file('ctskymap_py4.fits')
+
+        # ================================
+        # TEST RING BACKGROUND SUBTRACTION
+        # ================================
+
+        # Allocate ctskymap tool from observation container
+        skymap = ctools.ctskymap(obs)
+        skymap['emin']        = 0.1
+        skymap['emax']        = 100
+        skymap['nxpix']       = 100     # Make region smaller since the 'RING'
+        skymap['nypix']       = 100     # method takes longer to run than 'IRF'
+        skymap['binsz']       = 0.02
+        skymap['coordsys']    = 'CEL'
+        skymap['proj']        = 'CAR'
+        skymap['xref']        = 83.63
+        skymap['yref']        = 22.01
+        skymap['bkgsubtract'] = 'RING'
+        skymap['caldb']       = self._caldb
+        skymap['irf']         = self._irf
+        skymap['outmap']      = 'ctskymap_py5.fits'
+        skymap['logfile']     = 'ctskymap_py5.log'
+        skymap['chatter']     = 4
+        skymap['roiradius']   = 0.1
+        skymap['inradius']    = 0.6
+        skymap['outradius']   = 0.8
+        skymap['regfile']     = 'NONE' 
+        skymap['runavgalpha'] = True
+
+        # Execute tool
+        skymap.logFileOpen()  # Needed to get a new log file
+        skymap.execute()
+
+        # Check result file
+        self._check_result_file('ctskymap_py5.fits', 100, 100)
 
         # Return
         return