diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layFinder.cc b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layFinder.cc
index 2a3acffae..ff7063be4 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layFinder.cc
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layFinder.cc
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ Finder::start (lay::LayoutViewBase *view, unsigned int cv_index, const std::vect
 {
   const lay::CellView &cv = view->cellview (cv_index);
 
+  reset_counter ();
+
   m_layers = layers;
   mp_layout = &cv->layout ();
   mp_view = view;
@@ -265,7 +267,7 @@ ShapeFinder::ShapeFinder (bool point_mode, bool top_level_sel, db::ShapeIterator
     mp_prop_sel (0), m_inv_prop_sel (false), mp_progress (0),
     m_capture_all_shapes (capture_all_shapes)
 {
-  m_tries = point_sel_tests;
+  m_try_counter = m_tries = point_sel_tests;
 }
 
 struct LPContextEqualOp
@@ -440,20 +442,29 @@ ShapeFinder::find_internal (lay::LayoutViewBase *view, unsigned int cv_index, co
 
   auto flags_saved = m_flags;
 
-  try {
+  if ((m_flags & db::ShapeIterator::Texts) != 0 && mp_text_info && ! mp_text_info->point_mode ()) {
 
-    if ((m_flags & db::ShapeIterator::Texts) != 0 && mp_text_info && ! mp_text_info->point_mode ()) {
+    m_flags = db::ShapeIterator::Texts;
 
-      m_flags = db::ShapeIterator::Texts;
+    try {
 
       //  for catching all labels we search the whole view area
       db::DBox scan_region_mu = view->viewport ().box ();
       start (view, m_cv_index, trans_mu, region_mu, scan_region_mu, min_level, max_level, layers);
 
-      m_flags = db::ShapeIterator::flags_type (flags_saved - db::ShapeIterator::Texts);
-
+    } catch (StopException) {
+      //  ...
+    } catch (...) {
+      m_flags = flags_saved;
+      throw;
     }
 
+    m_flags = db::ShapeIterator::flags_type (flags_saved - db::ShapeIterator::Texts);
+
+  }
+
+  try {
+
     //  another pass with tight search box and without texts
     start (view, m_cv_index, trans_mu, region_mu, region_mu, min_level, max_level, layers);
 
@@ -476,12 +487,18 @@ ShapeFinder::checkpoint ()
   if (! point_mode ()) {
     ++*mp_progress;
   } else {
-    if (--m_tries < 0) {
+    if (--m_try_counter < 0) {
       throw StopException ();
     }
   }
 }
 
+void
+ShapeFinder::reset_counter ()
+{
+  m_try_counter = m_tries;
+}
+
 void 
 ShapeFinder::visit_cell (const db::Cell &cell, const db::Box &hit_box, const db::Box &scan_box, const db::DCplxTrans &vp, const db::ICplxTrans &t, int /*level*/)
 {
@@ -814,12 +831,18 @@ InstFinder::checkpoint ()
   if (! point_mode ()) {
     ++*mp_progress;
   } else {
-    if (--m_tries < 0) {
+    if (--m_try_counter < 0) {
       throw StopException ();
     }
   }
 }
 
+void
+InstFinder::reset_counter ()
+{
+  m_try_counter = m_tries;
+}
+
 bool
 InstFinder::consider_cell (const db::Cell &cell) const
 {
diff --git a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layFinder.h b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layFinder.h
index 5ebe9152d..8ea7020f0 100644
--- a/src/laybasic/laybasic/layFinder.h
+++ b/src/laybasic/laybasic/layFinder.h
@@ -213,6 +213,11 @@ protected:
    */
   virtual void checkpoint () = 0;
 
+  /**
+   *  @brief Is called to reset a try counter that stops on "checkpoint"
+   */
+  virtual void reset_counter () = 0;
+
 private:
   void do_find (const db::Cell &cell, int level, const db::DCplxTrans &vp, const db::ICplxTrans &t);
 
@@ -317,6 +322,7 @@ protected:
   }
 
   virtual void checkpoint ();
+  virtual void reset_counter ();
 
 private:
   virtual void visit_cell (const db::Cell &cell, const db::Box &hit_box, const db::Box &scan_box, const db::DCplxTrans &vp, const db::ICplxTrans &t, int level);
@@ -338,7 +344,7 @@ private:
   const lay::TextInfo *mp_text_info;
   const std::set<db::properties_id_type> *mp_prop_sel;
   bool m_inv_prop_sel;
-  int m_tries;
+  int m_tries, m_try_counter;
   tl::AbsoluteProgress *mp_progress;
   std::vector<int> m_context_layers;
   std::map<db::cell_index_type, bool> m_cells_with_context;
@@ -385,6 +391,7 @@ public:
   }
 
   virtual void checkpoint ();
+  virtual void reset_counter ();
 
 private:
   virtual void visit_cell (const db::Cell &cell, const db::Box &hit_box, const db::Box &scan_box, const db::DCplxTrans &vp, const db::ICplxTrans &t, int level);
@@ -396,7 +403,7 @@ private:
   db::cell_index_type m_topcell;
   const std::set<lay::ObjectInstPath> *mp_excludes;
   std::vector<lay::ObjectInstPath> m_founds;
-  int m_tries;
+  int m_tries, m_try_counter;
   bool m_full_arrays;
   bool m_enclose_insts;
   bool m_visible_layers;