diff --git a/src/global.F90 b/src/global.F90
index baefc53b9f..81c6cbb6e9 100644
--- a/src/global.F90
+++ b/src/global.F90
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ module global
   ! Flag for turning tallies on
   logical :: tallies_on
 
+  ! Assume all tallies are spatially distinct
+  logical :: assume_separate = .false.
+
   ! ============================================================================
   ! CRITICALITY SIMULATION VARIABLES
 
diff --git a/src/input_xml.F90 b/src/input_xml.F90
index 278693c5fd..ab3c2af18b 100644
--- a/src/input_xml.F90
+++ b/src/input_xml.F90
@@ -661,6 +661,9 @@ contains
        allocate(tallies(n_tallies))
     end if
 
+    ! Check for <assume_separate> setting
+    if (separate_ == 'yes') assume_separate = .true.
+
     ! ==========================================================================
     ! READ MESH DATA
 
diff --git a/src/tally.F90 b/src/tally.F90
index 67393d46ac..bab721bf66 100644
--- a/src/tally.F90
+++ b/src/tally.F90
@@ -448,6 +448,13 @@ contains
 
        end do
 
+       ! If the user has specified that we can assume all tallies are spatially
+       ! separate, this implies that once a tally has been scored to, we needn't
+       ! check the others. This cuts down on overhead when there are many
+       ! tallies specified
+
+       if (assume_separate) return
+
        ! Reset tally map positioning
        position = 0
 
@@ -588,6 +595,13 @@ contains
 
        end do
 
+       ! If the user has specified that we can assume all tallies are spatially
+       ! separate, this implies that once a tally has been scored to, we needn't
+       ! check the others. This cuts down on overhead when there are many
+       ! tallies specified
+
+       if (assume_separate) return
+
        ! Reset tally map positioning
        position = 0
 
diff --git a/src/xml-fortran/templates/tallies_t.xml b/src/xml-fortran/templates/tallies_t.xml
index 695ef8f6a8..d1ed9b868d 100644
--- a/src/xml-fortran/templates/tallies_t.xml
+++ b/src/xml-fortran/templates/tallies_t.xml
@@ -32,5 +32,6 @@
 
   <variable name="mesh_" tag="mesh" type="mesh_xml" dimension="1" />
   <variable name="tally_" tag="tally" type="tally_xml" dimension="1" />
+  <variable name="separate_" tag="assume_separate" type="word" length="3" />
 
 </template>