diff --git a/cassiopeia/preprocess/lineage_utils.py b/cassiopeia/preprocess/lineage_utils.py
index 26938259..a25162c3 100755
--- a/cassiopeia/preprocess/lineage_utils.py
+++ b/cassiopeia/preprocess/lineage_utils.py
@@ -49,26 +49,29 @@ def assign_lineage_groups(
     piv_assigned = pd.DataFrame()
 
     # Loop for iteratively assigning LGs
-    prev_clust_size = np.inf
+    remaining_intBCs = pivot_in.columns.tolist()
     i = 0
-    while prev_clust_size > min_clust_size:
+    while len(remaining_intBCs) > 0 and pivot_in.shape[0] > 0:
         # run function
-        piv_lg, piv_nolg = find_top_lg(
+        piv_lg, piv_nolg, intBC_top = find_top_lg(
             pivot_in,
             i,
             min_intbc_prop=min_intbc_thresh,
             kinship_thresh=kinship_thresh,
+            intbcs = remaining_intBCs,
         )
 
-        # append returned objects to output variable
-        piv_assigned = pd.concat([piv_assigned, piv_lg], sort=True)
-
+        # if lineage group larger than min_clust_size
+        if piv_lg.shape[0] > min_clust_size:
+             # append returned objects to output variable
+            piv_assigned = pd.concat([piv_assigned, piv_lg], sort=True)
+            i += 1
+            
         # update pivot_in by removing assigned alignments
         pivot_in = piv_nolg
 
-        prev_clust_size = piv_lg.shape[0]
-
-        i += 1
+        # remove intBC_top from remaining_intBCs
+        remaining_intBCs.remove(intBC_top) 
 
     return piv_assigned
 
@@ -78,6 +81,7 @@ def find_top_lg(
     iteration: int,
     min_intbc_prop: float = 0.2,
     kinship_thresh: float = 0.2,
+    intbcs = List[str],
 ) -> Tuple[pd.DataFrame, pd.DataFrame]:
 
     """Algorithm to creates lineage groups from a pivot table of UMI counts
@@ -98,6 +102,7 @@ def find_top_lg(
             the most frequent intBC
         kinship_thresh: Determines the proportion of intBCs that a cell needs
             to share with the cluster in order to included in that cluster
+        intbcs: A list of intBCs to consider for seeding the lineage group
 
     Returns:
         A pivot table of cells labled with lineage group assignments, and a
@@ -105,7 +110,7 @@ def find_top_lg(
     """
 
     # Calculate sum of observed intBCs, identify top intBC
-    intBC_sums = PIVOT_in.sum(0).sort_values(ascending=False)
+    intBC_sums = PIVOT_in.loc[:,intbcs].sum(0).sort_values(ascending=False)
     intBC_top = intBC_sums.index[0]
 
     # Take subset of PIVOT table that contain cells that have the top intBC
@@ -146,11 +151,12 @@ def find_top_lg(
     PIV_LG["lineageGrp"] = iteration + 1
 
     # Print statements
-    logger.debug(
-        f"LG {iteration+1} Assignment: {PIV_LG.shape[0]} cells assigned"
-    )
+    if PIV_LG.shape[0] > 0:
+        logger.debug(
+            f"LG {iteration+1} Assignment: {PIV_LG.shape[0]} cells assigned"
+        )
 
-    return PIV_LG, PIV_noLG
+    return PIV_LG, PIV_noLG, intBC_top
 
 
 def filter_intbcs_lg_sets(