diff --git a/python/adjoint/optimization_problem.py b/python/adjoint/optimization_problem.py
index bce235748..d375a6e06 100644
--- a/python/adjoint/optimization_problem.py
+++ b/python/adjoint/optimization_problem.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def __init__(
         fcen=None,
         df=None,
         nf=None,
-        decay_by=1e-11,
+        decay_by=7.5e-7,
         decimation_factor=0,
         minimum_run_time=0,
         maximum_run_time=None,
diff --git a/python/adjoint/wrapper.py b/python/adjoint/wrapper.py
index 3fad98c10..5fffdec61 100644
--- a/python/adjoint/wrapper.py
+++ b/python/adjoint/wrapper.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ def __init__(
         monitors: List[EigenmodeCoefficient],
         design_regions: List[DesignRegion],
         frequencies: List[float],
-        dft_threshold: float = 1e-11,
+        dft_threshold: float = 6e-7,
         minimum_run_time: float = 0,
         maximum_run_time: float = onp.inf,
         until_after_sources: bool = True,
diff --git a/python/simulation.py b/python/simulation.py
index b99dccf3b..892b7af56 100644
--- a/python/simulation.py
+++ b/python/simulation.py
@@ -4545,7 +4545,7 @@ def _stop(sim):
 
     return _stop
 
-def stop_when_dft_decayed(tol=1e-11, minimum_run_time=0, maximum_run_time=None):
+def stop_when_dft_decayed(tol=7.5e-7, minimum_run_time=0, maximum_run_time=None):
     """
     Return a `condition` function, suitable for passing to `Simulation.run` as the `until`
     or `until_after_sources` parameter, that checks the `Simulation`'s DFT objects every $t$
@@ -4557,7 +4557,7 @@ def stop_when_dft_decayed(tol=1e-11, minimum_run_time=0, maximum_run_time=None):
     """
 
     # Record data in closure so that we can persistently edit
-    closure = {'previous_fields':0, 't0':0, 'dt':0, 'maxchange':0}
+    closure = {'t0':0, 'dt':0, 'maxchange':0}
     def _stop(_sim):
         if _sim.fields.t == 0:
             closure['dt'] = max(1/_sim.fields.dft_maxfreq()/_sim.fields.dt,_sim.fields.max_decimation())
@@ -4566,17 +4566,11 @@ def _stop(_sim):
         elif _sim.fields.t <= closure['dt'] + closure['t0']:
             return False
         else:
-            previous_fields = closure['previous_fields']
-            current_fields  = _sim.fields.dft_norm()
-            change = np.abs(previous_fields-current_fields)
+            change = _sim.fields.dft_time_fields_norm()
             closure['maxchange'] = max(closure['maxchange'],change)
-
-            if previous_fields == 0:
-                closure['previous_fields'] = current_fields
-                return False
-
-            closure['previous_fields'] = current_fields
             closure['t0'] = _sim.fields.t
+            if closure['maxchange'] == 0:
+                return False
             if verbosity.meep > 1:
                 fmt = "DFT fields decay(t = {0:0.2f}): {1:0.4e}"
                 print(fmt.format(_sim.meep_time(), np.real(change/closure['maxchange'])))
diff --git a/python/tests/test_adjoint_solver.py b/python/tests/test_adjoint_solver.py
index 1f4efa360..c07bd070d 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_adjoint_solver.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_adjoint_solver.py
@@ -166,7 +166,8 @@ def J(mode_mon):
         objective_functions=J,
         objective_arguments=obj_list,
         design_regions=[matgrid_region],
-        frequencies=frequencies)
+        frequencies=frequencies,
+        minimum_run_time=150)
 
     f, dJ_du = opt([design_params])
 
@@ -255,7 +256,8 @@ def J(dft_mon):
         objective_functions=J,
         objective_arguments=obj_list,
         design_regions=[matgrid_region],
-        frequencies=frequencies)
+        frequencies=frequencies,
+        minimum_run_time=150)
 
     f, dJ_du = opt([design_params])
 
@@ -470,7 +472,7 @@ def test_complex_fields(self):
 
             ## compare objective results
             print("Ez2 -- adjoint solver: {}, traditional simulation: {}".format(adjsol_obj,Ez2_unperturbed))
-            self.assertClose(adjsol_obj,Ez2_unperturbed,epsilon=1e-6)
+            self.assertClose(adjsol_obj,Ez2_unperturbed,epsilon=2e-6)
 
             ## compute perturbed |Ez|^2
             Ez2_perturbed = forward_simulation_complex_fields(p+dp, frequencies)
diff --git a/src/dft.cpp b/src/dft.cpp
index f97bbe730..8d89e2343 100644
--- a/src/dft.cpp
+++ b/src/dft.cpp
@@ -282,36 +282,48 @@ void dft_chunk::update_dft(double time) {
   }
 }
 
-/* Return the L2 norm of the DFTs themselves.  This is useful
+/* Return the L2 norm of all of the fields used to update DFTs.  This is useful
    to check whether the simulation is finished (whether all relevant fields have decayed).
-   (Collective operation.) */
-double fields::dft_norm() {
+   (Collective operation.) 
+   In this case, we are only looking at the *update* (e.g. independent
+   of the phase term in the DTFT inner product). This is a more conservative approach
+   that by definition looks at *all* the simulation's frequencies (not just the ones
+   we care about).  
+*/
+
+static double sqr(std::complex<realnum> x) { return (x*std::conj(x)).real(); }
+
+double fields::dft_time_fields_norm() {
   am_now_working_on(Other);
   double sum = 0.0;
   for (int i = 0; i < num_chunks; i++)
-    if (chunks[i]->is_mine()) sum += chunks[i]->dft_norm2();
+    if (chunks[i]->is_mine()) sum += chunks[i]->dft_time_fields_norm2();
   finished_working();
   return std::sqrt(sum_to_all(sum));
 }
 
-double fields_chunk::dft_norm2() const {
+double fields_chunk::dft_time_fields_norm2() const {
   double sum = 0.0;
   for (dft_chunk *cur = dft_chunks; cur; cur = cur->next_in_chunk)
-    sum += cur->norm2();
+    sum += cur->dft_time_fields_norm2();
   return sum;
 }
 
-static double sqr(std::complex<realnum> x) { return (x*std::conj(x)).real(); }
-
-double dft_chunk::norm2() const {
+double dft_chunk::dft_time_fields_norm2() const {
   if (!fc->f[c][0]) return 0.0;
+  int numcmp = fc->f[c][1] ? 2 : 1;
   double sum = 0.0;
-  size_t idx_dft = 0;
-  const int Nomega = omega.size();
   LOOP_OVER_IVECS(fc->gv, is, ie, idx) {
-    for (int i = 0; i < Nomega; ++i)
-        sum += sqr(dft[Nomega * idx_dft + i]);
-    idx_dft++;
+    if (avg2)
+      for (int cmp = 0; cmp < numcmp; ++cmp)
+        sum += sqr(0.25 * (fc->f[c][cmp][idx] + fc->f[c][cmp][idx + avg1] +
+                           fc->f[c][cmp][idx + avg2] + fc->f[c][cmp][idx + (avg1 + avg2)]));
+    else if (avg1)
+      for (int cmp = 0; cmp < numcmp; ++cmp)
+        sum += sqr(0.5 * (fc->f[c][cmp][idx] + fc->f[c][cmp][idx + avg1]));
+    else
+      for (int cmp = 0; cmp < numcmp; ++cmp)
+        sum += sqr(fc->f[c][cmp][idx]);
   }
   return sum;
 }
diff --git a/src/meep.hpp b/src/meep.hpp
index 6c15378a2..46cc46e68 100644
--- a/src/meep.hpp
+++ b/src/meep.hpp
@@ -1121,7 +1121,7 @@ class dft_chunk {
   ~dft_chunk();
 
   void update_dft(double time);
-  double norm2() const;
+  double dft_time_fields_norm2() const;
   double maxomega() const;
 
   void scale_dft(std::complex<double> scale);
@@ -1574,7 +1574,7 @@ class fields_chunk {
   void initialize_with_nth_tm(int n, double kz);
   // dft.cpp
   void update_dfts(double timeE, double timeH, int current_step);
-  double dft_norm2() const;
+  double dft_time_fields_norm2() const;
   double dft_maxfreq() const;
   int max_decimation() const;
 
@@ -2004,7 +2004,7 @@ class fields {
   dft_chunk *add_dft(const volume_list *where, const std::vector<double> &freq,
                      bool include_dV = true);
   void update_dfts();
-  double dft_norm();
+  double dft_time_fields_norm();
   double dft_maxfreq() const;
   int max_decimation() const;