diff --git a/src/common/defaults.jl b/src/common/defaults.jl
index c275ee87..332807da 100644
--- a/src/common/defaults.jl
+++ b/src/common/defaults.jl
@@ -10,22 +10,34 @@ quantity needs to be computed.
 defaulttol(x::Any) = eps(real(float(one(eltype(x)))))^(2 / 3)
 
 """
-    default_pullback_gaugetol(a)
+    default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔA...)
 
 Default tolerance for deciding to warn if incoming adjoints of a pullback rule
 has components that are not gauge-invariant.
 """
-function default_pullback_gaugetol(a)
-    n = norm(a, Inf)
-    return eps(eltype(n))^(3 / 4) * max(n, one(n))
+default_pullback_gauge_atol(A) = iszerotangent(A) ? 0 : eps(norm(A, Inf))^(3 / 4)
+function default_pullback_gauge_atol(A, As...)
+    As′ = filter(!iszerotangent, (A, As...))
+    return isempty(As′) ? 0 : eps(norm(As′, Inf))^(3 / 4)
 end
 
+"""
+    default_pullback_degeneracy_atol(A)
+
+Default tolerance for deciding when values should be considered as degenerate.
+"""
+default_pullback_degeneracy_atol(A) = eps(norm(A, Inf))^(3 / 4)
+
+"""
+    default_pullback_rank_atol(A)
+
+Default tolerance for deciding what values should be considered equal to 0.
+"""
+default_pullback_rank_atol(A) = eps(norm(A, Inf))^(3 / 4)
+
 """
     default_hermitian_tol(A)
 
 Default tolerance for deciding to warn if the provided `A` is not hermitian.
 """
-function default_hermitian_tol(A)
-    n = norm(A, Inf)
-    return eps(eltype(n))^(3 / 4) * max(n, one(n))
-end
+default_hermitian_tol(A) = eps(norm(A, Inf))^(3 / 4)
diff --git a/src/pullbacks/eig.jl b/src/pullbacks/eig.jl
index c18a3158..3115b3d5 100644
--- a/src/pullbacks/eig.jl
+++ b/src/pullbacks/eig.jl
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 """
     eig_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, DV, ΔDV, [ind];
-        tol = default_pullback_gaugetol(DV[1]),
-        degeneracy_atol = tol,
-        gauge_atol = tol
+        degeneracy_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(DV[1]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔDV[2])
     )
 
 Adds the pullback from the full eigenvalue decomposition of `A` to `ΔA`, given the output
@@ -22,9 +21,8 @@ not small compared to `gauge_atol`.
 """
 function eig_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, DV, ΔDV, ind = Colon();
-        tol::Real = default_pullback_gaugetol(DV[1]),
-        degeneracy_atol::Real = tol,
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        degeneracy_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(DV[1]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔDV[2])
     )
 
     # Basic size checks and determination
@@ -84,9 +82,8 @@ end
 """
     eig_trunc_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, ΔDV, A, DV;
-        tol = default_pullback_gaugetol(DV[1]),
-        degeneracy_atol = tol,
-        gauge_atol = tol
+        degeneracy_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(DV[1]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔDV[2])
     )
 
 Adds the pullback from the truncated eigenvalue decomposition of `A` to `ΔA`, given the
@@ -106,9 +103,8 @@ not small compared to `gauge_atol`.
 """
 function eig_trunc_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, DV, ΔDV;
-        tol::Real = default_pullback_gaugetol(DV[1]),
-        degeneracy_atol::Real = tol,
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        degeneracy_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(DV[1]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔDV[2])
     )
 
     # Basic size checks and determination
diff --git a/src/pullbacks/eigh.jl b/src/pullbacks/eigh.jl
index b15f912e..e7c93c75 100644
--- a/src/pullbacks/eigh.jl
+++ b/src/pullbacks/eigh.jl
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 """
     eigh_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, DV, ΔDV, [ind];
-        tol = default_pullback_gaugetol(DV[1]),
-        degeneracy_atol = tol,
-        gauge_atol = tol
+        degeneracy_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(DV[1]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔDV[2])
     )
 
 Adds the pullback from the Hermitian eigenvalue decomposition of `A` to `ΔA`, given the
@@ -22,9 +21,8 @@ anti-hermitian part of `V' * ΔV`, restricted to rows `i` and columns `j` for wh
 """
 function eigh_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, DV, ΔDV, ind = Colon();
-        tol::Real = default_pullback_gaugetol(DV[1]),
-        degeneracy_atol::Real = tol,
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        degeneracy_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(DV[1]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔDV[2])
     )
 
     # Basic size checks and determination
@@ -49,7 +47,7 @@ function eigh_pullback!(
         Δgauge < gauge_atol ||
             @warn "`eigh` cotangents sensitive to gauge choice: (|Δgauge| = $Δgauge)"
 
-        aVᴴΔV .*= inv_safe.(D' .- D, tol)
+        aVᴴΔV .*= inv_safe.(D' .- D, degeneracy_atol)
 
         if !iszerotangent(ΔDmat)
             ΔDvec = diagview(ΔDmat)
@@ -74,9 +72,8 @@ end
 """
     eigh_trunc_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, DV, ΔDV;
-        tol=default_pullback_gaugetol(DV[1]),
-        degeneracy_atol=tol,
-        gauge_atol=tol
+        degeneracy_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(DV[1]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔDV[2])
     )
 
 Adds the pullback from the truncated Hermitian eigenvalue decomposition of `A` to `ΔA`,
@@ -96,9 +93,8 @@ not small compared to `gauge_atol`.
 """
 function eigh_trunc_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, DV, ΔDV;
-        tol::Real = default_pullback_gaugetol(DV[1]),
-        degeneracy_atol::Real = tol,
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        degeneracy_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(DV[1]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔDV[2])
     )
 
     # Basic size checks and determination
@@ -119,7 +115,7 @@ function eigh_trunc_pullback!(
         Δgauge < gauge_atol ||
             @warn "`eigh` cotangents sensitive to gauge choice: (|Δgauge| = $Δgauge)"
 
-        aVᴴΔV .*= inv_safe.(D' .- D, tol)
+        aVᴴΔV .*= inv_safe.(D' .- D, degeneracy_atol)
 
         if !iszerotangent(ΔDmat)
             ΔDvec = diagview(ΔDmat)
diff --git a/src/pullbacks/lq.jl b/src/pullbacks/lq.jl
index 05e23c38..d2cfa290 100644
--- a/src/pullbacks/lq.jl
+++ b/src/pullbacks/lq.jl
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 """
     lq_pullback!(
         ΔA, A, LQ, ΔLQ;
-        tol::Real = default_pullback_gaugetol(LQ[1]),
-        rank_atol::Real = tol,
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        rank_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(LQ[1]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔLQ[2])
     )
 
 Adds the pullback from the LQ decomposition of `A` to `ΔA` given the output `LQ` and
@@ -18,9 +17,8 @@ or rows exceed `gauge_atol`, a warning will be printed.
 """
 function lq_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, LQ, ΔLQ;
-        tol::Real = default_pullback_gaugetol(LQ[1]),
-        rank_atol::Real = tol,
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        rank_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(LQ[1]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔLQ[2])
     )
     # process
     L, Q = LQ
@@ -28,7 +26,7 @@ function lq_pullback!(
     n = size(Q, 2)
     minmn = min(m, n)
     Ld = diagview(L)
-    p = findlast(>=(rank_atol) ∘ abs, Ld)
+    p = @something findlast(>=(rank_atol) ∘ abs, Ld) 0
 
     ΔL, ΔQ = ΔLQ
 
@@ -72,7 +70,7 @@ function lq_pullback!(
             # Q2' * ΔQ2 as a gauge dependent quantity.
             ΔQ2Q1ᴴ = ΔQ2 * Q1'
             Δgauge = norm(mul!(copy(ΔQ2), ΔQ2Q1ᴴ, Q1, -1, 1), Inf)
-            Δgauge < tol ||
+            Δgauge < gauge_atol ||
                 @warn "`lq` cotangents sensitive to gauge choice: (|Δgauge| = $Δgauge)"
             ΔQ̃ = mul!(ΔQ̃, ΔQ2Q1ᴴ', Q2, -1, 1)
         end
@@ -105,7 +103,10 @@ function lq_pullback!(
 end
 
 """
-    lq_null_pullback(ΔA, A, Nᴴ, ΔNᴴ)
+    lq_null_pullback!(
+        ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, Nᴴ, ΔNᴴ;
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔNᴴ)
+    )
 
 Adds the pullback from the left nullspace of `A` to `ΔA`, given the nullspace basis
  `Nᴴ` and its cotangent `ΔNᴴ` of `lq_null(A)`.
@@ -114,13 +115,12 @@ See also [`lq_pullback!`](@ref).
 """
 function lq_null_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, Nᴴ, ΔNᴴ;
-        tol::Real = default_pullback_gaugetol(A),
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔNᴴ)
     )
     if !iszerotangent(ΔNᴴ) && size(Nᴴ, 1) > 0
         aNᴴΔN = project_antihermitian!(Nᴴ * ΔNᴴ')
         Δgauge = norm(aNᴴΔN)
-        Δgauge < tol ||
+        Δgauge < gauge_atol ||
             @warn "`lq_null` cotangent sensitive to gauge choice: (|Δgauge| = $Δgauge)"
         L, Q = lq_compact(A; positive = true) # should we be able to provide algorithm here?
         X = ldiv!(LowerTriangular(L)', Q * ΔNᴴ')
diff --git a/src/pullbacks/qr.jl b/src/pullbacks/qr.jl
index bc49d6af..10882bdf 100644
--- a/src/pullbacks/qr.jl
+++ b/src/pullbacks/qr.jl
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
     qr_pullback!(
         ΔA, A, QR, ΔQR;
         tol::Real = default_pullback_gaugetol(QR[2]),
-        rank_atol::Real = tol,
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        rank_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(QR[2]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔQR[1])
     )
 
 Adds the pullback from the QR decomposition of `A` to `ΔA` given the output `QR` and
@@ -18,9 +18,8 @@ and also the adjoint variables `ΔQ` and `ΔR` should have nonzero values only i
 """
 function qr_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, QR, ΔQR;
-        tol::Real = default_pullback_gaugetol(QR[2]),
-        rank_atol::Real = tol,
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        rank_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(QR[2]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔQR[1])
     )
     # process
     Q, R = QR
@@ -28,7 +27,7 @@ function qr_pullback!(
     n = size(R, 2)
     minmn = min(m, n)
     Rd = diagview(R)
-    p = findlast(>=(rank_atol) ∘ abs, Rd)
+    p = @something findlast(>=(rank_atol) ∘ abs, Rd) 0
 
     ΔQ, ΔR = ΔQR
 
@@ -71,7 +70,7 @@ function qr_pullback!(
             # Q2' * ΔQ2 as a gauge dependent quantity.
             Q1dΔQ2 = Q1' * ΔQ2
             Δgauge = norm(mul!(copy(ΔQ2), Q1, Q1dΔQ2, -1, 1), Inf)
-            Δgauge < tol ||
+            Δgauge < gauge_atol ||
                 @warn "`qr` cotangents sensitive to gauge choice: (|Δgauge| = $Δgauge)"
             ΔQ̃ = mul!(ΔQ̃, Q2, Q1dΔQ2', -1, 1)
         end
@@ -104,7 +103,10 @@ function qr_pullback!(
 end
 
 """
-    qr_null_pullback(ΔA, A, N, ΔN)
+    qr_null_pullback!(
+        ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, N, ΔN;
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔN)
+    )
 
 Adds the pullback from the right nullspace of `A` to `ΔA`, given the nullspace basis
 `N` and its cotangent `ΔN` of `qr_null(A)`.
@@ -113,13 +115,12 @@ See also [`qr_pullback!`](@ref).
 """
 function qr_null_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, N, ΔN;
-        tol::Real = default_pullback_gaugetol(A),
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔN)
     )
     if !iszerotangent(ΔN) && size(N, 2) > 0
         aNᴴΔN = project_antihermitian!(N' * ΔN)
         Δgauge = norm(aNᴴΔN)
-        Δgauge < tol ||
+        Δgauge < gauge_atol ||
             @warn "`qr_null` cotangent sensitive to gauge choice: (|Δgauge| = $Δgauge)"
 
         Q, R = qr_compact(A; positive = true)
diff --git a/src/pullbacks/svd.jl b/src/pullbacks/svd.jl
index effceaa3..c0353a3a 100644
--- a/src/pullbacks/svd.jl
+++ b/src/pullbacks/svd.jl
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 """
     svd_pullback!(
         ΔA, A, USVᴴ, ΔUSVᴴ, [ind];
-        tol::Real=default_pullback_gaugetol(USVᴴ[2]),
-        rank_atol::Real = tol,
-        degeneracy_atol::Real = tol,
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        rank_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(USVᴴ[2]),
+        degeneracy_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(USVᴴ[2]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔUSVᴴ[1], ΔUSVᴴ[3])
     )
 
 Adds the pullback from the SVD of `A` to `ΔA` given the output USVᴴ of `svd_compact` or
@@ -23,10 +22,9 @@ which `abs(S[i] - S[j]) < degeneracy_atol`, is not small compared to `gauge_atol
 """
 function svd_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, USVᴴ, ΔUSVᴴ, ind = Colon();
-        tol::Real = default_pullback_gaugetol(USVᴴ[2]),
-        rank_atol::Real = tol,
-        degeneracy_atol::Real = tol,
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        rank_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(USVᴴ[2]),
+        degeneracy_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(USVᴴ[2]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔUSVᴴ[1], ΔUSVᴴ[3])
     )
 
     # Extract the SVD components
@@ -106,10 +104,9 @@ end
 """
     svd_trunc_pullback!(
         ΔA, A, USVᴴ, ΔUSVᴴ;
-        tol::Real=default_pullback_gaugetol(S),
-        rank_atol::Real = tol,
-        degeneracy_atol::Real = tol,
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        rank_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(USVᴴ[2]),
+        degeneracy_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(USVᴴ[2]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔUSVᴴ[1], ΔUSVᴴ[3])
     )
 
 Adds the pullback from the truncated SVD of `A` to `ΔA`, given the output `USVᴴ` and the
@@ -128,10 +125,9 @@ which `abs(S[i] - S[j]) < degeneracy_atol`, is not small compared to `gauge_atol
 """
 function svd_trunc_pullback!(
         ΔA::AbstractMatrix, A, USVᴴ, ΔUSVᴴ;
-        tol::Real = default_pullback_gaugetol(USVᴴ[2]),
-        rank_atol::Real = tol,
-        degeneracy_atol::Real = tol,
-        gauge_atol::Real = tol
+        rank_atol::Real = 0,
+        degeneracy_atol::Real = default_pullback_rank_atol(USVᴴ[2]),
+        gauge_atol::Real = default_pullback_gauge_atol(ΔUSVᴴ[1], ΔUSVᴴ[3])
     )
 
     # Extract the SVD components