diff --git a/lib/q65_decode.f90 b/lib/q65_decode.f90
index 087bc0ce8..c0793d06f 100644
--- a/lib/q65_decode.f90
+++ b/lib/q65_decode.f90
@@ -241,9 +241,8 @@ contains
        nused=navg(iseq)
     endif
 
-100 stageno = 5
-
-    if(idec.lt.0) then
+100 if(idec.lt.0 .and. max_drift.eq.50) then
+       stageno = 5
        call timer('q65_dec0',0)
        ! Call top-level routine in q65 module: establish sync and try for a
        ! q3 or q0 decode.
diff --git a/lib/qra/q65/q65.f90 b/lib/qra/q65/q65.f90
index 1bd51f779..349e38c91 100644
--- a/lib/qra/q65/q65.f90
+++ b/lib/qra/q65/q65.f90
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ subroutine q65_dec0(iavg,nutc,iwave,ntrperiod,nfqso,ntol,ndepth,lclearave,  &
         idec=5
      endif
 
-  endif        ! if(idec.lt.0 .and. maxdrift.eq.50 .and. stageno.eq.5)
+  endif        ! if(idec.lt.0 .and. max_drift.eq.50 .and. stageno.eq.5)
 
   return
 end subroutine q65_dec0