diff --git a/register_participants.inc.php b/register_participants.inc.php
index 74303be..7198f7d 100644
--- a/register_participants.inc.php
+++ b/register_participants.inc.php
@@ -356,20 +356,21 @@ function saveProjectData($data,$registrations_id=null){
 				$awards=array();
 				foreach($data['specialawards'] AS $sa) {
 					//If all they've selected is they don't want to self nominate, then erase all other selections 
-					if($sa['id']==-1) {
+					if($sa['id']==-1 && $sa['selected']) {
 						//reset the array
 						unset($awards);
 						$awards=array();
 						$awards[]=$sa;
+						//and stop looping
 						break;
 					}
 					else {
 						if($sa['selected'] && in_array($sa['id'],$eligibleAwardsList)) {
+							echo "id {$sa['id']} is selected AND eligible\n";
 							$awards[]=$sa;
 						}
 					}
 				}
-
 				$idx=0;
 				foreach($awards AS $sa) {
 					$qstr="INSERT INTO project_specialawards_link (award_awards_id,projects_id,conferences_id) VALUES ('".intval($sa['id'])."','".intval($data['project_id'])."','{$conference['id']}')";