diff --git a/libmuscle/python/libmuscle/instance.py b/libmuscle/python/libmuscle/instance.py
index f4aa85fb..7a033dd4 100644
--- a/libmuscle/python/libmuscle/instance.py
+++ b/libmuscle/python/libmuscle/instance.py
@@ -810,38 +810,47 @@ def _decide_reuse_instance(self) -> bool:
         elif self._first_run:
             self._first_run = False
 
-        # resume from intermediate
+        do_reuse = False
+
+        # only actually happens if we don't reuse, start recording just in case
+        sw_event = ProfileEvent(ProfileEventType.SHUTDOWN_WAIT, ProfileTimestamp())
+
+        f_init_connected = self._have_f_init_connections()
         if self._first_run and self._snapshot_manager.resuming_from_intermediate():
+            # resume from intermediate
             self._do_resume = True
             self._do_init = False
-            return True
-
-        f_init_connected = self._have_f_init_connections()
-
-        # resume from final
-        if self._first_run and self._snapshot_manager.resuming_from_final():
+            do_reuse = True
+        elif self._first_run and self._snapshot_manager.resuming_from_final():
+            # resume from final
             if f_init_connected:
-                got_f_init_messages = self._pre_receive()
+                no_closed_ports = self._pre_receive()
                 self._do_resume = True
                 self._do_init = True
-                return got_f_init_messages
+                do_reuse = no_closed_ports
             else:
                 self._do_resume = False     # unused
                 self._do_init = False       # unused
-                return False
+                do_reuse = False
+        else:
+            # fresh start or resuming from implicit snapshot
+            self._do_resume = False
 
-        # fresh start or resuming from implicit snapshot
-        self._do_resume = False
+            no_closed_ports = self._pre_receive()
 
-        # simple straight single run without resuming
-        if not f_init_connected:
-            self._do_init = self._first_run
-            return self._first_run
+            if not f_init_connected:
+                # simple straight single run without resuming
+                self._do_init = self._first_run
+                do_reuse = self._first_run
+            else:
+                # not resuming and f_init connected, run while we get messages
+                self._do_init = no_closed_ports
+                do_reuse = no_closed_ports
 
-        # not resuming and f_init connected, run while we get messages
-        got_f_init_messages = self._pre_receive()
-        self._do_init = got_f_init_messages
-        return got_f_init_messages
+        if not do_reuse:
+            self._profiler.record_event(sw_event)
+
+        return do_reuse
 
     def _save_snapshot(
             self, message: Optional[Message], final: bool,
@@ -1005,17 +1014,12 @@ def _pre_receive(self) -> bool:
         Returns:
             True iff no ClosePort messages were received.
         """
-        sw_event = ProfileEvent(ProfileEventType.SHUTDOWN_WAIT, ProfileTimestamp())
-
         all_ports_open = self.__receive_settings()
         self.__pre_receive_f_init()
         for message in self._f_init_cache.values():
             if isinstance(message.data, ClosePort):
                 all_ports_open = False
 
-        if not all_ports_open:
-            self._profiler.record_event(sw_event)
-
         return all_ports_open
 
     def __receive_settings(self) -> bool:
@@ -1024,11 +1028,16 @@ def __receive_settings(self) -> bool:
         Returns:
             False iff the port is connnected and ClosePort was received.
         """
-        default_message = Message(0.0, None, Settings(), Settings())
+        if not self._communicator.settings_in_connected():
+            self._settings_manager.overlay = Settings()
+            return True
+
         message, saved_until = self._communicator.receive_message(
-                'muscle_settings_in', None, default_message)
+                'muscle_settings_in', None)
+
         if isinstance(message.data, ClosePort):
             return False
+
         if not isinstance(message.data, Settings):
             err_msg = ('"{}" received a message on'
                        ' muscle_settings_in that is not a'
diff --git a/libmuscle/python/libmuscle/test/test_instance.py b/libmuscle/python/libmuscle/test/test_instance.py
index f500dd64..1a15c90d 100644
--- a/libmuscle/python/libmuscle/test/test_instance.py
+++ b/libmuscle/python/libmuscle/test/test_instance.py
@@ -78,8 +78,9 @@ def get_port(name):
         msg = Message(0.0, 1.0, 'message')
         msg_with_settings = Message(0.0, 1.0, 'message', overlay_settings)
 
-        def receive_message(name, slot, default):
+        def receive_message(name, slot, default=None):
             if 'not_connected' in name:
+                assert default is not None
                 return default, 10.0
             if 'settings' in name:
                 return msg_with_settings, 10.0