diff --git a/arbitrile.cpp b/arbitrile.cpp
index 4ebb65f0..66887a0f 100644
--- a/arbitrile.cpp
+++ b/arbitrile.cpp
@@ -1499,9 +1499,6 @@ struct hrmap_arbi : hrmap {
     transmatrix T = lxpush(.01241) * spin(1.4117) * lxpush(0.1241) * Id;
     arbi_matrix[origin] = make_pair(alt, T);
     altmap[alt].emplace_back(origin, T);
-    
-    if(!current.range)
-      current.range = auto_compute_range(origin->c7);
     }
 
   ~hrmap_arbi() {
@@ -1999,7 +1996,7 @@ EX void convert() {
   ac.cscale = cgi.scalefactor;
   ac.boundary_ratio = 1;
   ac.floor_scale = cgi.hexvdist / cgi.scalefactor;
-  ac.range = cgi.base_distlimit;
+  ac.range = getDistLimit();
   ac.shapes.clear();
   ac.shapes.resize(N);
 
diff --git a/cell.cpp b/cell.cpp
index fe1a6230..c33b7cac 100644
--- a/cell.cpp
+++ b/cell.cpp
@@ -1744,7 +1744,7 @@ EX bool is_boundary(cell *c) {
   }
 
 /** compute the distlimit for a tessellation automatically */
-EX int auto_compute_range(cell *c) {  
+EX int auto_compute_range(cell *c) {
   if(sphere) {
     cgi.base_distlimit = SEE_ALL;
     return SEE_ALL;
@@ -1764,6 +1764,24 @@ EX int auto_compute_range(cell *c) {
   return ginf[geometry].distlimit[0] = cgi.base_distlimit = d;
   }
 
+EX int getDistLimit() {
+  auto& res = cgi.base_distlimit;
+  if(res) return res;
+  if(arb::in() && arb::current.range)
+    return res = arb::current.range;
+  if(arcm::in() || arb::in()) {
+    if(!currentmap) return 0;
+    cell *c = currentmap->gamestart();
+    if(!c) return 0;
+    return res = auto_compute_range(c);
+    }
+  if(mhybrid)
+    return res = hybrid::in_underlying_geometry([&] {
+      return max(getDistLimit()-1, 0);
+      });
+  return ginf[geometry].distlimit[!BITRUNCATED];
+  }
+
 EX cell out_of_bounds;
 EX heptagon oob;
 
diff --git a/game.cpp b/game.cpp
index 808ab479..2cf8eafe 100644
--- a/game.cpp
+++ b/game.cpp
@@ -111,8 +111,6 @@ EX eMonster active_switch() {
 
 EX vector<cell*> crush_now, crush_next;
   
-EX int getDistLimit() { return cgi.base_distlimit; }
-
 EX void activateFlashFrom(cell *cf, eMonster who, flagtype flags);
 
 EX bool saved_tortoise_on(cell *c) {
diff --git a/geometry.cpp b/geometry.cpp
index bff40dd6..839944f9 100644
--- a/geometry.cpp
+++ b/geometry.cpp
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ struct geometry_information {
   /** for 2D geometries */
   vector<transmatrix> heptmove, hexmove, invhexmove;
 
-  int base_distlimit;
+  int base_distlimit = 0;
   
   unique_ptr<embedding_method> emb;
 
@@ -658,7 +658,6 @@ void geometry_information::prepare_basics() {
       t->tessf = cgi.tessf / d;
       t->hexvdist = cgi.hexvdist / d;
       t->hexhexdist = hdist(xpush0(cgi.hcrossf), xspinpush0(TAU/S7, cgi.hcrossf)) / d;
-      t->base_distlimit = cgi.base_distlimit-1;
       });
     goto hybrid_finish;
     }
@@ -756,8 +755,6 @@ void geometry_information::prepare_basics() {
     (hr::format("S7=%d S6=%d hexf = " LDF" hcross = " LDF" tessf = " LDF" hexshift = " LDF " hexhex = " LDF " hexv = " LDF "\n", S7, S6, hexf, hcrossf, tessf, hexshift, 
     hexhexdist, hexvdist)));  
   
-  base_distlimit = ginf[geometry].distlimit[!BITRUNCATED];
-
   hybrid_finish:
   
   #if CAP_GP
@@ -823,7 +820,6 @@ void geometry_information::prepare_basics() {
     scalefactor = csc;
     hcrossf = crossf = orbsize = hcrossf7 * csc;
     hexf = rhexf = hexvdist = csc * arb::current_or_slided().floor_scale;
-    base_distlimit = arb::current.range;
     }
   
   #if MAXMDIM >= 4