diff --git a/alphafold3_pytorch/alphafold3.py b/alphafold3_pytorch/alphafold3.py
index 818d1d7f..e1f5d872 100644
--- a/alphafold3_pytorch/alphafold3.py
+++ b/alphafold3_pytorch/alphafold3.py
@@ -5717,7 +5717,8 @@ def _inhouse_compute_unresolved_rasa(
         molecule_atom_lens: Int[" n"],  
         atom_pos: Float["m 3"],  
         atom_mask: Bool[" m"],
-        fibonacci_sphere_n = 200 # they use 200 in mkdssp
+        fibonacci_sphere_n = 200, # they use 200 in mkdssp, but can be tailored for efficiency
+        atom_distance_min_thres = 1e-4
     ) -> Float[""]:  
         """Compute the unresolved relative solvent accessible surface area (RASA) for proteins.
         using inhouse rebuilt RSA calculation
@@ -5779,11 +5780,12 @@ def _inhouse_compute_unresolved_rasa(
 
         atom_radii: Float[' m'] = self.atom_radii[structure_atom_type_for_radii]
 
-        atom_radii_sq = atom_radii.pow(2) # they use square of distance / radius to save on sqrt
+        water_radii = self.atom_radii[-1]
 
-        # they use the water molecule radii for some stuff
+        # atom radii is always summed with water radii
 
-        water_radii = self.atom_radii[-1]
+        atom_radii += water_radii
+        atom_radii_sq = atom_radii.pow(2) # always use square of radii or distance for comparison - save on sqrt
 
         # write custom RSA function here
 
@@ -5809,19 +5811,32 @@ def _inhouse_compute_unresolved_rasa(
             lat.sin()
         ), dim = -1)
 
-        # overall logic
+        # first get atom relative positions + distance
+        # for determining whether to include pairs of atom in calculation for the `free` adjective
 
         atom_rel_pos = einx.subtract('j c, i c -> i j c', structure_atom_pos, structure_atom_pos)
+        atom_rel_dist_sq = atom_rel_pos.pow(2).sum(dim = -1)
 
-        surface_dots = einx.multiply('m, sd c -> m sd c', atom_radii + water_radii, unit_surface_dots)
+        max_distance_include = einx.add('i, j -> i j', atom_radii, atom_radii).pow(2)
+
+        include_in_free_calc = (
+            (atom_rel_dist_sq < max_distance_include) &
+            (atom_rel_dist_sq > atom_distance_min_thres)
+        )
+
+        # overall logic
+
+        surface_dots = einx.multiply('m, sd c -> m sd c', atom_radii, unit_surface_dots)
 
         dist_from_surface_dots_sq = einx.subtract('i j c, i sd c -> i sd j c', atom_rel_pos, surface_dots).pow(2).sum(dim = -1)
 
         target_atom_close_to_surface_dots = einx.less('j, i sd j -> i sd j', atom_radii_sq, dist_from_surface_dots_sq)
 
-        free = reduce(target_atom_close_to_surface_dots, 'i sd j -> i sd', 'all')
+        target_atom_close_or_not_included = einx.logical_or('i sd j, i j -> i sd j', target_atom_close_to_surface_dots, ~include_in_free_calc)
+
+        is_free = reduce(target_atom_close_or_not_included, 'i sd j -> i sd', 'all') # basically the most important line, calculating whether an atom is free by some distance measure
 
-        score = reduce(free.float() * weight, 'm sd -> m', 'sum')
+        score = reduce(is_free.float() * weight, 'm sd -> m', 'sum')
 
         per_atom_accessible_surface_score = score * atom_radii_sq