diff --git a/sim_utils/interfaces/sim_utils_interface.f90 b/sim_utils/interfaces/sim_utils_interface.f90
index 5dbbf4de78..ebe9958d5f 100644
--- a/sim_utils/interfaces/sim_utils_interface.f90
+++ b/sim_utils/interfaces/sim_utils_interface.f90
@@ -772,8 +772,7 @@ function real_str(r_num, n_signif, n_decimal) result (str)
   import
   implicit none
   real(rp) r_num
-  integer n_signif
-  integer, optional :: n_decimal
+  integer, optional :: n_signif, n_decimal
   character(:), allocatable :: str
 end function
 
diff --git a/sim_utils/string/real_str.f90 b/sim_utils/string/real_str.f90
index 858ad8fdf0..7d30ad2274 100644
--- a/sim_utils/string/real_str.f90
+++ b/sim_utils/string/real_str.f90
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 !
 ! Input:
 !   r_num     -- real(rp): Real number
-!   n_signif  -- integer: Number of significant places.
+!   n_signif  -- integer, optional: Number of significant places. If not present, n_decimal must be present.
 !   n_decimal -- integer, optional: If present, maximum number of places after the decimal point.
 !
 ! Output:
@@ -22,13 +22,14 @@ function real_str(r_num, n_signif, n_decimal) result (str)
 implicit none
 
 real(rp) r_num
-integer n_signif
-integer, optional :: n_decimal
+integer, optional :: n_signif, n_decimal
 character(:), allocatable :: str
 character(20) string
 
 if (present(n_decimal)) then
-  if (abs(r_num) > 10.0_rp**(n_signif - n_decimal)) then
+  if (.not. present(n_signif)) then
+    write (string, '(f20.' // int_str(n_decimal) // ')') r_num
+  elseif (abs(r_num) > 10.0_rp**(n_signif - n_decimal)) then
     write (string, '(f20.' // int_str(n_decimal) // ')') r_num
   else
     string = real_to_string(r_num, 20, n_signif = n_signif)
diff --git a/tao/code/tao_cmd_end_calc.f90 b/tao/code/tao_cmd_end_calc.f90
index 77ad7676c5..0cd7bbc768 100644
--- a/tao/code/tao_cmd_end_calc.f90
+++ b/tao/code/tao_cmd_end_calc.f90
@@ -21,16 +21,18 @@ subroutine tao_cmd_end_calc
 
 type (tao_plot_region_struct), pointer :: r
 
-real(rp) this_merit !not really used here
+real(rp) tim, this_merit
 integer i
 logical err
+character(*), parameter :: r_name = 'tao_cmd_end_calc'
 
 ! Note: tao_merit calls tao_lattice_calc.
 
-this_merit =  tao_merit()         
+this_merit = tao_merit()         
 
-! update variable values to reflect lattice values
+! Update variable values to reflect lattice values
 
+call run_timer('START')
 call tao_plot_setup()       ! transfer data to the plotting structures
 if (associated(tao_hook_plot_setup_ptr)) call tao_hook_plot_setup_ptr()
 
@@ -43,6 +45,13 @@ subroutine tao_cmd_end_calc
 
 call tao_draw_plots()              ! Update the plotting window
 
+call run_timer('READ', tim)
+if (s%global%max_plot_time > 0 .and. tim > s%global%max_plot_time) then
+  call out_io(s_blank$, r_name, 'Time to plot is: ' // real_str(tim, n_decimal = 1) // ' seconds.', &
+                                'To reduce plotting time try "set plot_page n_curve_pts = N" where N is less than the current ' // int_str(s%plot_page%n_curve_pts), &
+                                'To turn off this message, "set global max_plot_time" to something negative or something greater than the plot time.')  
+endif
+
 end subroutine tao_cmd_end_calc
 
 
diff --git a/tao/code/tao_show_this.f90 b/tao/code/tao_show_this.f90
index 6d01dcd331..d500ae4520 100644
--- a/tao/code/tao_show_this.f90
+++ b/tao/code/tao_show_this.f90
@@ -2125,6 +2125,7 @@ subroutine tao_show_this (what, result_id, lines, nl)
     nl=nl+1; write(lines(nl), lmt) '  %label_lattice_elements        = ', s%global%label_lattice_elements
     nl=nl+1; write(lines(nl), lmt) '  %label_keys                    = ', s%global%label_keys
     nl=nl+1; write(lines(nl), lmt) '  %lattice_calc_on               = ', s%global%lattice_calc_on
+    nl=nl+1; write(lines(nl), rmt) '  %max_plot_time                 = ', s%global%max_plot_time
     nl=nl+1; write(lines(nl), lmt) '  %only_limit_opt_vars           = ', s%global%only_limit_opt_vars
     nl=nl+1; write(lines(nl), lmt) '  %opt_match_auto_recalc         = ', s%global%opt_match_auto_recalc
     nl=nl+1; write(lines(nl), lmt) '  %opti_write_var_file           = ', s%global%opti_write_var_file
diff --git a/tao/code/tao_struct.f90 b/tao/code/tao_struct.f90
index d7cd897fbf..e2187b129d 100644
--- a/tao/code/tao_struct.f90
+++ b/tao/code/tao_struct.f90
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ module tao_struct
   real(rp) :: floor_plan_text_scale  = 1.0  ! Scale used = floor_plan_text_scale * legend_text_scale
   real(rp) :: lat_layout_shape_scale = 1.0
   real(rp) :: lat_layout_text_scale  = 1.0  ! Scale used = lat_layout_text_scale * legend_text_scale
-  integer :: n_curve_pts = 401              ! Default number of points for plotting a smooth curve.
+  integer :: n_curve_pts = 4001             ! Default number of points for plotting a smooth curve.
   integer :: id_window = -1                 ! X window id number.
   logical :: delete_overlapping_plots = .true. ! Delete overlapping plots when a plot is placed?
   logical :: draw_graph_title_suffix = .true.  ! Draw the graph title suffix?
@@ -646,6 +646,7 @@ module tao_struct
   real(rp) :: dmerit_stop_value = 0              ! Fractional Merit change below which an optimizer will stop.
   real(rp) :: random_sigma_cutoff = -1           ! Cut-off in sigmas.
   real(rp) :: delta_e_chrom = 0                  ! Delta E used from chrom calc.
+  real(rp) :: max_plot_time = 5                  ! If plotting time (seconds) exceeds this than a message is generated.
   integer :: default_universe = 1                ! Default universe to work with.
   integer :: default_branch = 0                  ! Default lattice branch to work with.
   integer :: n_opti_cycles = 20                  ! Number of optimization cycles