diff --git a/Sources/TimeStep/evolve.f b/Sources/TimeStep/evolve.f
index c20e318..9c26fd4 100644
--- a/Sources/TimeStep/evolve.f
+++ b/Sources/TimeStep/evolve.f
@@ -69,13 +69,28 @@ SUBROUTINE evolve(time_step, ier_flag, liter_flag, lscreen)
 !        INITIATES 2D PRECONDITIONER CALCULATION
 !
          IF (iter_on .EQ. -1) THEN
-            IF (lqmr) THEN
-               nstep = 5
-               niter = iter2+100                   !Limit # preconditioner steps
-            ELSE
-               nstep = 20
-               niter = iter2+400
+            IF (pre_niter .eq. -1) THEN
+               IF (lqmr) THEN
+                  nstep = 5
+                  niter = iter2+100                   !Limit # preconditioner steps
+               ELSE
+                  nstep = 20
+                  niter = iter2+400
+               END IF
+
+               IF (rank .eq. 0) THEN
+                  WRITE (6,1000) niter
+                  WRITE (nthreed,1000) niter
+               END IF
+            ELSE IF (pre_niter .ge. 0) THEN
+               niter = iter2 + pre_niter
+
+               IF (rank .eq. 0) THEN
+                  WRITE (6,1000) niter
+                  WRITE (nthreed,1000) niter
+               END IF
             END IF
+
             iter_on = iter2                        !Flag to monitor progress of preconditioner
          ELSE
             iter_on = iter2-11
@@ -84,7 +99,9 @@ SUBROUTINE evolve(time_step, ier_flag, liter_flag, lscreen)
 !SPH022111: ADD NEW CONTROL PARAMETER, l_comp_prec2D, TO FORCE RECALCULATION
 !           OF PRECONDITIONING BLOCKS IN V3FIT, FOR EXAMPLE
          IF (lfirst .OR. l_comp_prec2D) THEN
-            IF (l_v3fit) WRITE(*,*) 'VMEC Evolve:compute_blocks'
+            IF (l_v3fit) THEN
+               WRITE(*,*) 'VMEC Evolve:compute_blocks'
+            END IF
             IF (PARVMEC) THEN
                CALL compute_blocks_par (pxc,pxcdot,pgc)
             ELSE
@@ -218,6 +235,8 @@ SUBROUTINE evolve(time_step, ier_flag, liter_flag, lscreen)
       CALL second0(tevoff)
       evolve_time = evolve_time + (tevoff - tevon)
 
+1000  FORMAT(2x,'Resetting the number of niter to ',i6)
+
       END SUBROUTINE evolve
 
 
diff --git a/Sources/TimeStep/vmec.f b/Sources/TimeStep/vmec.f
index 6c77a28..e5e0465 100644
--- a/Sources/TimeStep/vmec.f
+++ b/Sources/TimeStep/vmec.f
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ PROGRAM vmec
 C-----------------------------------------------
       INTEGER, PARAMETER :: nseq0 = 12
       CHARACTER(LEN=*), PARAMETER ::
-     &    increase_niter = "Try increasing NITER",
+     &    increase_niter = "Try increasing NITER or PRE_NITER if the "
+     &                  // "preconditioner is on.",
      &    bad_jacobian = "The jacobian was non-definite!",
      &    full_3d1output_request = "Full threed1-output request!"
 C-----------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Testing/tests/free_boundary_test/CMakeLists.txt b/Testing/tests/free_boundary_test/CMakeLists.txt
index 881c0cb..07e9160 100644
--- a/Testing/tests/free_boundary_test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Testing/tests/free_boundary_test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ set_tests_properties (vmec_free_boundary_check_iotaf_test
                       PROPERTIES
                       DEPENDS "vmec_free_boundary_serial_test;vmec_free_boundary_parallel_test")
 add_test (NAME    vmec_free_boundary_check_jcuru_test
-          COMMAND $<TARGET_PROPERTY:xvmec,BINARY_DIR>/xwout_diff -wout_file1=wout_test_serial.vmec.nc -wout_file2=wout_test_parallel.vmec.nc -quantity=jcuru -tol=4.5E-7)
+          COMMAND $<TARGET_PROPERTY:xvmec,BINARY_DIR>/xwout_diff -wout_file1=wout_test_serial.vmec.nc -wout_file2=wout_test_parallel.vmec.nc -quantity=jcuru -tol=5.1E-7)
 set_tests_properties (vmec_free_boundary_check_jcuru_test
                       PROPERTIES
                       DEPENDS "vmec_free_boundary_serial_test;vmec_free_boundary_parallel_test")