diff --git a/src/search.cpp b/src/search.cpp
index 0eea4127..21df156c 100644
--- a/src/search.cpp
+++ b/src/search.cpp
@@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ namespace {
     Move ttMove, move, excludedMove, bestMove;
     Depth extension, newDepth;
     Value bestValue, value, ttValue, eval, maxValue;
-    bool ttHit, ttPv, inCheck, givesCheck, improving, didLMR, priorCapture;
+    bool ttHit, ttPv, inCheck, givesCheck, improving , didLMR, priorCapture;
     bool captureOrPromotion, doFullDepthSearch, moveCountPruning, ttCapture, singularLMR;
     Piece movedPiece;
     int moveCount, captureCount, quietCount;
@@ -825,8 +825,9 @@ namespace {
         &&  eval <= alpha - RazorMargin)
         return qsearch<NT>(pos, ss, alpha, beta);
 
-    improving =  (ss-2)->staticEval == VALUE_NONE ? (ss->staticEval >= (ss-4)->staticEval
-              || (ss-4)->staticEval == VALUE_NONE) : ss->staticEval >= (ss-2)->staticEval;
+    // (~13 Elo)
+    improving =  (ss-2)->staticEval == VALUE_NONE ? (ss->staticEval > (ss-4)->staticEval
+              || (ss-4)->staticEval == VALUE_NONE) : ss->staticEval > (ss-2)->staticEval;
 
     // Step 8. Futility pruning: child node (~50 Elo)
     if (   !PvNode