User profile, photo import from AD (not export) then error in update_spprofilephotostore

I have user profile services running, and it is importing photos from AD.  I can see them here:

http://hv-sharepoint:27123/User%20Photos/Forms/AllItems.aspx?RootFolder=%2FUser%20Photos%2FProfile%20Pictures&View={4413BAE4-6A75-4C13-8E83-D63E61F7FC8F}

But when I try to run the command to build the right formats for sharepoint, I get an error:

PS C:\Users\fergusonl> Update-SPProfilePhotoStore -CreateThumbnailsForImportedPhotos 1 -MySiteHostLocation "http://hv-sharepoint:27123/"
Update-SPProfilePhotoStore : Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
At line:1 char:27
+ Update-SPProfilePhotoStore <<<<  -CreateThumbnailsForImportedPhotos 1 -MySiteHostLocation "http://hv-sharepoint:27123/"
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (Microsoft.Offic...ofilePhotoStore:SPCmdletUserProfilePhotoStore) [Update-SPProfilePhotoStore], NullReferenceException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.PowerShell.SPCmdletUserProfilePhotoStore

It is finding the web site -- any changes to the URL gives a different, not-found error.  It doesn't matter if the CreateThumbnailsForIUmportedPhotos is present or not, same error.  I am running it under a fully privileged account.  And the directory import itself works, as the photos are all there -- it is something in the execution of this command (which I understand is necessary to make the photos actually appear in the users' profile, which they do not now, only from the first URL above).

Any suggestions?

Sharepoint 2010 standard with December update.