diff --git a/src/geometry.F90 b/src/geometry.F90
index 70c0f8c306..a006a72d93 100644
--- a/src/geometry.F90
+++ b/src/geometry.F90
@@ -149,7 +149,6 @@ contains
              ! CELL CONTAINS LOWER UNIVERSE, RECURSIVELY FIND CELL
 
              ! Create new level of coordinates
-             p % in_lower_universe = .true.
              allocate(p % coord % next)
 
              ! Move particle to next level and set universe
@@ -187,7 +186,6 @@ contains
              else
 
                 ! Create new level of coordinates
-                p % in_lower_universe = .true.
                 allocate(p % coord % next)
              
                 ! adjust local position of particle
@@ -284,7 +282,7 @@ contains
        ! PARTICLE REFLECTS FROM SURFACE
 
        ! Do not handle reflective boundary conditions on lower universes
-       if (p % in_lower_universe) then
+       if (.not. associated(p % coord, p % coord0)) then
           message = "Cannot reflect particle " // trim(to_str(p % id)) // &
                " off surface in a lower universe."
           call fatal_error()
diff --git a/src/particle_header.F90 b/src/particle_header.F90
index fcd6068039..8f81fbeb1f 100644
--- a/src/particle_header.F90
+++ b/src/particle_header.F90
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ module particle_header
      integer    :: type          ! Particle type (n, p, e, etc)
 
      ! Particle coordinates
-     logical :: in_lower_universe                  ! is particle in lower universe?
      type(LocalCoord), pointer :: coord0 => null() ! coordinates on universe 0
      type(LocalCoord), pointer :: coord  => null() ! coordinates on lowest universe
 
@@ -107,7 +106,6 @@ contains
     allocate(p % coord0)
     p % coord0 % universe = BASE_UNIVERSE
     p % coord             => p % coord0
-    p % in_lower_universe = .false.
 
   end subroutine initialize_particle