diff --git a/src/min_linesearch.cpp b/src/min_linesearch.cpp
index 706ad053c7..30be8eda41 100644
--- a/src/min_linesearch.cpp
+++ b/src/min_linesearch.cpp
@@ -248,8 +248,7 @@ int MinLineSearch::linemin_backtrack(double eoriginal, double &alpha,
   // backtrack with alpha until energy decrease is sufficient
 
   while (1) {
-
-    alpha_step(ecurrent, alpha, nfunc, 1);
+    ecurrent = alpha_step(alpha,1,nfunc);
 
     // if energy change is better than ideal, exit with success
 
@@ -265,7 +264,7 @@ int MinLineSearch::linemin_backtrack(double eoriginal, double &alpha,
     // reset to starting point, exit with error
 
     if (alpha <= 0.0 || de_ideal >= -IDEAL_TOL) {
-      alpha_step(ecurrent, 0.0, nfunc, 0);
+      ecurrent = alpha_step(0.0,0,nfunc);
       return ZEROALPHA;
     }
   }
@@ -370,8 +369,7 @@ int MinLineSearch::linemin_quadratic(double eoriginal, double &alpha,
   alphaprev = 0.0;
 
   while (1) {
-
-    alpha_step(ecurrent, alpha, nfunc, 1);
+    ecurrent = alpha_step(alpha,1,nfunc);
 
     // compute new fh, alpha, delfh
 
@@ -409,7 +407,7 @@ int MinLineSearch::linemin_quadratic(double eoriginal, double &alpha,
     // if fh or delfh is epsilon, reset to starting point, exit with error
 
     if (fabs(fh) < EPS_QUAD || fabs(delfh) < EPS_QUAD) {
-      alpha_step(ecurrent, 0.0, nfunc, 0);
+      ecurrent = alpha_step(0.0,0,nfunc);
       return ZEROQUAD;
     }
 
@@ -421,7 +419,7 @@ int MinLineSearch::linemin_quadratic(double eoriginal, double &alpha,
     alpha0 = alpha - (alpha-alphaprev)*fh/delfh;
 
     if (relerr <= QUADRATIC_TOL && alpha0 > 0.0) {
-      alpha_step(ecurrent, alpha0, nfunc, 1);
+      ecurrent = alpha_step(alpha0,1,nfunc);
       return 0;
     }
 
@@ -445,19 +443,21 @@ int MinLineSearch::linemin_quadratic(double eoriginal, double &alpha,
     // reset to starting point, exit with error
 
     if (alpha <= 0.0 || de_ideal >= -IDEAL_TOL) {
-      alpha_step(ecurrent, 0.0, nfunc, 0);
+      ecurrent = alpha_step(0.0,0,nfunc);
       return ZEROALPHA;
     }
   }
 }
 
-void MinLineSearch::alpha_step(double& ecurrent, double alpha, 
-			       int &nfunc, int resetflag)
+/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+double MinLineSearch::alpha_step(double alpha, int resetflag, int &nfunc)
 {
   int i,n,m;
   double *xatom,*x0atom,*hatom;
 
-  // First reset to starting point
+  // reset to starting point
+
   if (nextra_global) modify->min_step(0.0,hextra);
   for (i = 0; i < n3; i++) x[i] = x0[i];
   if (nextra_atom)
@@ -468,7 +468,8 @@ void MinLineSearch::alpha_step(double& ecurrent, double alpha,
 	for (i = 0; i < n; i++) xatom[i] = x0atom[i];
       }
   
-  // If requested, step forward along line
+  // step forward along h
+
   if (alpha > 0.0) {
     if (nextra_global) modify->min_step(alpha,hextra);
     for (i = 0; i < n3; i++) x[i] += alpha*h[i];
@@ -481,7 +482,8 @@ void MinLineSearch::alpha_step(double& ecurrent, double alpha,
       }
   }
 
-  // Compute energy
-  ecurrent = energy_force(resetflag);
+  // compute and return new energy
+
   nfunc++;
+  return energy_force(resetflag);
 }
diff --git a/src/min_linesearch.h b/src/min_linesearch.h
index 6e119a4867..938163d40c 100644
--- a/src/min_linesearch.h
+++ b/src/min_linesearch.h
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class MinLineSearch : public Min {
   int linemin_backtrack(double, double &, int &);
   int linemin_quadratic(double, double &, int &);
 
-  void alpha_step(double &, double, int &, int);
+  double alpha_step(double, int, int &);
 };
 
 }