This paper addresses one aspect of the problem of the suppression of tearing mode magnetic islands by electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) injection, formulating the problem as the converse of a forced reconnection problem. New physical conditions are discussed which should be considered in the technical approach towards a robust control strategy. Limits on the ECCD deposition are determined to avoid driving the system into regimes where secondary instabilities develop. Numerical simulations confirming the theory are also presented.