diff --git a/src/swiftest/swiftest_io.f90 b/src/swiftest/swiftest_io.f90
index b22e892dd..9eb3bed2c 100644
--- a/src/swiftest/swiftest_io.f90
+++ b/src/swiftest/swiftest_io.f90
@@ -3190,9 +3190,9 @@ module subroutine swiftest_io_initialize_output_file_system(self, nc, param)
       character(len=2*STRMAX)          :: errmsg
       logical                          :: fileExists
 
-      associate (pl => self%pl, tp => self%tp, npl => self%pl%nbody, ntp => self%tp%nbody)
+      associate (pl => self%pl, tp => self%tp, npl => self%pl%nbody, ntp => self%tp%nbody, lfirst => self%lfirst_io)
          nc%file_name = param%outfile
-         if (self%lfirst) then
+         if (lfirst) then
             inquire(file=param%outfile, exist=fileExists)
 #ifdef COARRAY
             if (this_image() /= 1) param%out_stat = 'APPEND'
@@ -3215,7 +3215,7 @@ module subroutine swiftest_io_initialize_output_file_system(self, nc, param)
                call nc%initialize(param)
             end select
 
-            self%lfirst = .false.
+            lfirst = .false.
          end if
 
       end associate
diff --git a/src/swiftest/swiftest_module.f90 b/src/swiftest/swiftest_module.f90
index 27cbbbddf..7437c49bc 100644
--- a/src/swiftest/swiftest_module.f90
+++ b/src/swiftest/swiftest_module.f90
@@ -395,7 +395,8 @@ module swiftest
       logical                         :: lbeg                 !! True if this is the beginning of a step. This is used so that test particle steps can be calculated 
                                                               !!    separately from massive bodies.  Massive body variables are saved at half steps, and passed to 
                                                               !!    the test particles
-      logical                         :: lfirst = .true.      !! Flag to indicate that this is a new run
+      logical                         :: lfirst_io   = .true.  !! Flag to indicate that this is the first time to write to a file
+      logical                         :: lfirst_peri = .true.  !! Flag to indicate that this is the first pericenter passage
    contains
       !> Each integrator will have its own version of the step
       procedure(abstract_step_system), deferred :: step
diff --git a/src/swiftest/swiftest_util.f90 b/src/swiftest/swiftest_util.f90
index 7dc5761fc..6659bf69e 100644
--- a/src/swiftest/swiftest_util.f90
+++ b/src/swiftest/swiftest_util.f90
@@ -2368,7 +2368,8 @@ module subroutine swiftest_util_setup_construct_system(nbody_system, param)
          write(*,*) 'Unkown integrator',param%integrator
          call base_util_exit(FAILURE,param%display_unit)
       end select
-      nbody_system%lfirst = .true.
+      nbody_system%lfirst_io = .true.
+      nbody_system%lfirst_peri = .true.
 
       allocate(swiftest_particle_info :: nbody_system%cb%info)
 
diff --git a/src/symba/symba_discard.f90 b/src/symba/symba_discard.f90
index 37fc34698..e6b08601e 100644
--- a/src/symba/symba_discard.f90
+++ b/src/symba/symba_discard.f90
@@ -302,17 +302,16 @@ subroutine symba_discard_peri_pl(pl, nbody_system, param)
       class(swiftest_nbody_system), intent(inout) :: nbody_system !! Swiftest nbody system object
       class(swiftest_parameters),   intent(in)    :: param  !! Current run configuration parameters
       ! Internals
-      logical, save         :: lfirst = .true.
       logical               :: lfirst_orig
       integer(I4B)          :: i
       character(len=STRMAX) :: timestr, idstr, message
 
 
       lfirst_orig = pl%lfirst
-      pl%lfirst = lfirst
-      if (lfirst) then
+      pl%lfirst = nbody_system%lfirst_peri
+      if (nbody_system%lfirst_peri) then
          call pl%get_peri(nbody_system, param)          
-         lfirst = .false.
+         nbody_system%lfirst_peri = .false.
       else
          call pl%get_peri(nbody_system, param)          
          do i = 1, pl%nbody
diff --git a/src/whm/whm_step.f90 b/src/whm/whm_step.f90
index e4ea4262d..02812b428 100644
--- a/src/whm/whm_step.f90
+++ b/src/whm/whm_step.f90
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ module subroutine whm_step_pl(self, nbody_system, param, t, dt)
       !! 
       !! Adapted from Hal Levison's Swift routine step_kdk_pl.f
       !! Adapted from David E. Kaufmann's Swifter routine whm_step_pl.f90
-      !logical, save :: lfirst = .true.
       implicit none
       ! Arguments
       class(whm_pl),                intent(inout) :: self   !! WHM massive body particle data structure