diff --git a/src/core/include/variable.h b/src/core/include/variable.h
index 2a65cc84a..a0257e0b0 100644
--- a/src/core/include/variable.h
+++ b/src/core/include/variable.h
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ class _Variable : public _Constant {
     virtual     bool        CheckFForDependence (_AVLList const&, bool = false);
     virtual     bool        HasBeenInitialized (void) const {return !(varFlags & HY_VARIABLE_NOTSET);}
     virtual     void        MarkModified  (void) {varFlags = varFlags | HY_VARIABLE_CHANGED;}
+    virtual     bool        IsModified  (void) const {return varFlags & HY_VARIABLE_CHANGED;}
     virtual     void        ClearModified  (void) {if (varFlags & HY_VARIABLE_CHANGED) varFlags -= HY_VARIABLE_CHANGED;}
     
     _String const     ContextFreeName                 (void) const;
diff --git a/src/core/likefunc.cpp b/src/core/likefunc.cpp
index de0711b13..40e401cd6 100644
--- a/src/core/likefunc.cpp
+++ b/src/core/likefunc.cpp
@@ -4126,11 +4126,16 @@ _Matrix*        _LikelihoodFunction::Optimize (_AssociativeList const * options)
          }
     }
     
+    
+    _SimpleList untag;
     if (keepStartingPoint) {
-        indexInd.Each ([this] (long v, unsigned long i) -> void {
+        indexInd.Each ([this, &untag] (long v, unsigned long i) -> void {
             _Variable *iv = GetIthIndependentVar (i);
             if (iv->HasBeenInitialized()) {
-                iv->MarkModified();
+                if (!iv->IsModified()) {
+                    iv->MarkModified();
+                    untag << i;
+                }
             }
         });
     }
@@ -4140,11 +4145,9 @@ _Matrix*        _LikelihoodFunction::Optimize (_AssociativeList const * options)
     }
 
     if (keepStartingPoint) {
-        indexInd.Each ([this] (long v, unsigned long i) -> void {
+        untag.Each ([this] (long v, unsigned long i) -> void {
             _Variable *iv = GetIthIndependentVar (i);
-            if (iv->HasBeenInitialized()) {
-                iv->ClearModified();
-            }
+            iv->ClearModified();
         });
     }