diff --git a/src/table/wcsUtils.cc b/src/table/wcsUtils.cc
index d1ce67580..8628c74f8 100644
--- a/src/table/wcsUtils.cc
+++ b/src/table/wcsUtils.cc
@@ -112,13 +112,10 @@ Eigen::Matrix2f calculateCoordCovariance(geom::SkyWcs const &wcs, lsst::geom::Po
     Eigen::Matrix2f d = localMatrix.cast<float>() * scale * (lsst::geom::PI / 180.0);
 
     Eigen::Matrix2f skyCov = d * err * d.transpose();
-
-    // Multiply by declination correction matrix in order to get sigma(RA) * cos(Dec) for the uncertainty
-    // in RA, and cov(RA, Dec) * cos(Dec) for the RA/Dec covariance:
-    float cosDec = std::cos(skyCenter.getDec().asRadians());
-    Eigen::Matrix2f decCorr{{cosDec, 0}, {0, 1.0}};
-    Eigen::Matrix2f skyCovCorr = decCorr * skyCov * decCorr;
-    return skyCovCorr;
+    // Because the transform from pixels to RA/Dec was done at a local
+    // gnomonic, the RA and Dec covariance are already commensurate, and
+    // multiplying the RA covariance by cos(Dec) is not necessary.
+    return skyCov;
 }
 
 template <typename SourceCollection>
diff --git a/tests/test_sourceTable.py b/tests/test_sourceTable.py
index a1aa16979..3a16d4743 100644
--- a/tests/test_sourceTable.py
+++ b/tests/test_sourceTable.py
@@ -235,12 +235,8 @@ def testCoordErrors(self):
 
         centroidErr = self.record.getCentroidErr()
         coordErr = radMatrix.dot(centroidErr.dot(radMatrix.T))
-        # multiply RA by cos(Dec):
-        cosDec = np.cos(skyCenter.getDec().asRadians())
-        decCorr = np.array([[cosDec, 0], [0, 1]])
-        coordErrCorr = decCorr.dot(coordErr.dot(decCorr))
         catCoordErr = self.record.get(self.coordErrKey)
-        np.testing.assert_almost_equal(coordErrCorr, catCoordErr, decimal=16)
+        np.testing.assert_almost_equal(coordErr, catCoordErr, decimal=16)
 
     def testSorting(self):
         self.assertFalse(self.catalog.isSorted())