Optimum operating conditions of the 0.98 $mu extrm{m}$-pumped broadband erbium-doped fiber sources, where the mean wavelength variation is minimized, have been experimentally investigated. The optimum conditions for the mean wavelength stabilization were found to be different between the case of the isolated source and the case of the presence of feedback. In case of feedback, the proper pump power that yields zero slope of mean wavelength variation was found to be lower than that of the isolated case, and the mean wavelength was found nearly unchanged over the wide range of pump power. Howerer, the feedback resulted in lower output power and the mean wavelength was found to be sensitive to the variation of feedback level. In the respect of mean wavelength stability, the better performance could be obtained with some feedback, provided that the feedback level is kept constant. Thus we could also enhance the mean wavelength stability by allowing appropriate constant feedback into the source.