diff --git a/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.cpp b/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.cpp
index 577cbbe42..f2b190fb2 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.cpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.cpp
@@ -51,7 +51,12 @@ namespace Opm
         provideTimeStepEstimate( lastStepTaken );
     }
 
-    AdaptiveSimulatorTimer& AdaptiveSimulatorTimer::operator++ ()
+    bool AdaptiveSimulatorTimer::initialStep () const
+    {
+        return ( report_step_ == 0 ) && ( current_step_ == 0 );
+    }
+
+AdaptiveSimulatorTimer& AdaptiveSimulatorTimer::operator++ ()
     {
         ++current_step_;
         current_time_ += dt_;
diff --git a/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.hpp b/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.hpp
index fd34af8c1..a813d6739 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/timestepping/AdaptiveSimulatorTimer.hpp
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ namespace Opm
         /// \brief provide and estimate for new time step size
         void provideTimeStepEstimate( const double dt_estimate );
 
+        /// \brief Whether this is the first step
+        bool initialStep () const;
+
         /// \brief \copydoc SimulationTimer::currentStepNum
         int currentStepNum () const;
 
diff --git a/opm/simulators/timestepping/SimulatorTimerInterface.hpp b/opm/simulators/timestepping/SimulatorTimerInterface.hpp
index d08b8778c..859db1c9c 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/timestepping/SimulatorTimerInterface.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/timestepping/SimulatorTimerInterface.hpp
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ namespace Opm
         /// Return true if timer indicates that simulation of timer interval is finished
         virtual bool done() const = 0;
 
+        /// Whether the current step is the first step.
+        virtual bool initialStep() const = 0;
+
         /// Return start date of simulation
         virtual boost::posix_time::ptime startDateTime() const = 0;