diff --git a/doc/src/fix_bond_react.txt b/doc/src/fix_bond_react.txt
index f806da3324..b5ac87327d 100644
--- a/doc/src/fix_bond_react.txt
+++ b/doc/src/fix_bond_react.txt
@@ -102,19 +102,27 @@ involved in any new reactions. The {xmax} value keyword should
 typically be set to the maximum distance that non-reacting atoms move
 during the simulation.
 
-The group-ID set using the {stabilization} keyword should be a
-previously unused group-ID. It cannot be specified as 'all'. The fix
-bond/react command creates a "dynamic group"_group.html of this name
-that includes all non-reacting atoms. This dynamic group-ID should
-then be used by a subsequent system-wide time integrator such as nvt,
-npt, or nve, as shown in the second example above. It is currently
-necessary to place the time integration command after the fix
-bond/react command due to the internal dynamic grouping performed by
-fix bond/react.
+The group-ID set using the {stabilization} keyword can be an existing
+static group or a previously-unused group-ID. It cannot be specified
+as 'all'. If the group-ID is previously unused, fix bond/react command
+creates a "dynamic group"_group.html of this name that is initialized
+to include all atoms. If the group-ID is that of an existing static
+group, the group is converted into a dynamic group, whose atoms are
+limited to those belonging to the original static group. In either
+case, this dynamic group-ID should then be used by a subsequent
+system-wide time integrator such as nvt, npt, or nve, as shown in the
+second example above. The time integration command should be placed
+after the fix bond/react command due to the internal dynamic grouping
+performed by fix bond/react. By specifying an existing group, you may
+thermostat non-reacting parts of your system separately.
 
-NOTE: The internally created group currently applies to all atoms in
-the system, i.e. you should generally not have a separate thermostat
-which acts on the 'all' group.
+NOTE: If the group-ID is an existing static group, react-group-IDs
+should also be specified as this group, or a subset.
+
+NOTE: If the group-ID is previously unused, the internally created
+group applies to all atoms in the system, i.e. you should generally
+not have a separate thermostat which acts on the 'all' group, or any
+other group.
 
 The following comments pertain to each {react} argument:
 
diff --git a/src/USER-MISC/fix_bond_react.cpp b/src/USER-MISC/fix_bond_react.cpp
index 705bb8ff70..1124d359ce 100644
--- a/src/USER-MISC/fix_bond_react.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-MISC/fix_bond_react.cpp
@@ -354,6 +354,9 @@ FixBondReact::FixBondReact(LAMMPS *lmp, int narg, char **arg) :
 
   id_fix1 = NULL;
   id_fix2 = NULL;
+  id_fix3 = NULL;
+  statted_id = NULL;
+  custom_exclude_flag = 0;
 }
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
@@ -426,11 +429,17 @@ FixBondReact::~FixBondReact()
     // check nfix in case all fixes have already been deleted
     if (id_fix1 == NULL && modify->nfix) modify->delete_fix(id_fix1);
     delete [] id_fix1;
+
+    if (custom_exclude_flag == 0) {
+      if (id_fix3 == NULL && modify->nfix) modify->delete_fix(id_fix3);
+      delete [] id_fix3;
+    }
   }
 
   if (id_fix2 == NULL && modify->nfix) modify->delete_fix(id_fix2);
   delete [] id_fix2;
 
+  delete [] statted_id;
   delete [] guess_branch;
   delete [] pioneer_count;
 }
@@ -461,21 +470,20 @@ void FixBondReact::post_constructor()
 
   int ifix = modify->find_fix(id_fix2);
   if (ifix == -1) {
-    char **newarg = new char*[8];
+    char **newarg = new char*[7];
     newarg[0] = (char *) "bond_react_props_internal";
     newarg[1] = (char *) "all"; // group ID is ignored
     newarg[2] = (char *) "property/atom";
     newarg[3] = (char *) "i_limit_tags";
-    newarg[4] = (char *) "i_statted_tags";
-    newarg[5] = (char *) "i_react_tags";
-    newarg[6] = (char *) "ghost";
-    newarg[7] = (char *) "yes";
-    modify->add_fix(8,newarg);
-    fix2 = modify->fix[modify->nfix-1];
+    newarg[4] = (char *) "i_react_tags";
+    newarg[5] = (char *) "ghost";
+    newarg[6] = (char *) "yes";
+    modify->add_fix(7,newarg);
     delete [] newarg;
   }
 
   // create master_group if not already existing
+  // NOTE: limit_tags and react_tags automaticaly intitialized to zero (unless read from restart)
   if (group->find(master_group) == -1) {
     group->find_or_create(master_group);
     char **newarg;
@@ -489,33 +497,100 @@ void FixBondReact::post_constructor()
     delete [] newarg;
   }
 
-  // on to statted_tags (system-wide thermostat)
-  // intialize per-atom statted_flags to 1
-  // (only if not already initialized by restart)
-  // NOTE: limit_tags and react_tags automaticaly intitialized to zero (unless read from restart)
-  if (fix2->restart_reset != 1) {
-    int flag;
-    int index = atom->find_custom("statted_tags",flag);
-    int *i_statted_tags = atom->ivector[index];
-
-    for (int i = 0; i < atom->nlocal; i++)
-      i_statted_tags[i] = 1;
-  }
-
   if (stabilization_flag == 1) {
-    // create exclude_group if not already existing
-    if (group->find(exclude_group) == -1) {
+    int igroup = group->find(exclude_group);
+    // create exclude_group if not already existing, or use as parent group if static
+    if (igroup == -1 || group->dynamic[igroup] == 0) {
+      // create stabilization per-atom property
+      len = strlen("bond_react_stabilization_internal") + 1;
+      id_fix3 = new char[len];
+      strcpy(id_fix3,"bond_react_stabilization_internal");
+
+      ifix = modify->find_fix(id_fix3);
+      if (ifix == -1) {
+        char **newarg = new char*[6];
+        newarg[0] = (char *) "bond_react_stabilization_internal";
+        newarg[1] = (char *) "all"; // group ID is ignored
+        newarg[2] = (char *) "property/atom";
+        newarg[3] = (char *) "i_statted_tags";
+        newarg[4] = (char *) "ghost";
+        newarg[5] = (char *) "yes";
+        modify->add_fix(6,newarg);
+        fix2 = modify->fix[modify->nfix-1];
+        delete [] newarg;
+      }
+
+      len = strlen("statted_tags") + 1;
+      statted_id = new char[len];
+      strcpy(statted_id,"statted_tags");
+
+      // if static group exists, duplicate it, use duplicate as parent group
+      // original will be converted into dynamic per-atom property group
+      if (igroup != -1) {
+        char **newarg;
+        newarg = new char*[3];
+        newarg[0] = (char *) "exclude_PARENT_group";
+        newarg[1] = (char *) "union";
+        newarg[2] = exclude_group;
+        group->assign(3,newarg);
+        delete [] newarg;
+      }
+
       group->find_or_create(exclude_group);
       char **newarg;
       newarg = new char*[5];
       newarg[0] = exclude_group;
       newarg[1] = (char *) "dynamic";
-      newarg[2] = (char *) "all";
+      if (igroup == -1) newarg[2] = (char *) "all";
+      else newarg[2] = (char *) "exclude_PARENT_group";
       newarg[3] = (char *) "property";
       newarg[4] = (char *) "statted_tags";
       group->assign(5,newarg);
       delete [] newarg;
-    }
+
+      // on to statted_tags (system-wide thermostat)
+      // intialize per-atom statted_flags to 1
+      // (only if not already initialized by restart)
+      if (fix2->restart_reset != 1) {
+        int flag;
+        int index = atom->find_custom("statted_tags",flag);
+        int *i_statted_tags = atom->ivector[index];
+
+        for (int i = 0; i < atom->nlocal; i++)
+          i_statted_tags[i] = 1;
+      }
+    } else {
+        // sleeping code, for future capabilities
+        custom_exclude_flag = 1;
+        // first we have to find correct fix group reference
+        int n = strlen("GROUP_") + strlen(exclude_group) + 1;
+        char *fix_group = new char[n];
+        strcpy(fix_group,"GROUP_");
+        strcat(fix_group,exclude_group);
+        int ifix = modify->find_fix(fix_group);
+        Fix *fix = modify->fix[ifix];
+        delete [] fix_group;
+
+        // this returns names of corresponding property
+        int unused;
+        char * idprop;
+        idprop = (char *) fix->extract("property",unused);
+        if (idprop == NULL)
+          error->all(FLERR,"Exclude group must be a per-atom property group");
+
+        len = strlen(idprop) + 1;
+        statted_id = new char[len];
+        strcpy(statted_id,idprop);
+
+        // intialize per-atom statted_tags to 1
+        // need to correct for smooth restarts
+        //int flag;
+        //int index = atom->find_custom(statted_id,flag);
+        //int *i_statted_tags = atom->ivector[index];
+        //for (int i = 0; i < atom->nlocal; i++)
+        //  i_statted_tags[i] = 1;
+      }
+
 
     // let's create a new nve/limit fix to limit newly reacted atoms
     len = strlen("bond_react_MASTER_nve_limit") + 1;
@@ -534,40 +609,6 @@ void FixBondReact::post_constructor()
       fix1 = modify->fix[modify->nfix-1];
       delete [] newarg;
     }
-
-  }
-
-  // currently must redefine dynamic groups so they are updated at proper time
-  // -> should double check as to why
-
-  int must_redefine_groups = 1;
-
-  if (must_redefine_groups) {
-    group->find_or_create(master_group);
-    char **newarg;
-    newarg = new char*[5];
-    newarg[0] = master_group;
-    newarg[1] = (char *) "dynamic";
-    newarg[2] = (char *) "all";
-    newarg[3] = (char *) "property";
-    newarg[4] = (char *) "limit_tags";
-    group->assign(5,newarg);
-    delete [] newarg;
-  }
-
-  if (stabilization_flag == 1) {
-    if (must_redefine_groups) {
-      group->find_or_create(exclude_group);
-      char **newarg;
-      newarg = new char*[5];
-      newarg[0] = exclude_group;
-      newarg[1] = (char *) "dynamic";
-      newarg[2] = (char *) "all";
-      newarg[3] = (char *) "property";
-      newarg[4] = (char *) "statted_tags";
-      group->assign(5,newarg);
-      delete [] newarg;
-    }
   }
 }
 
@@ -1812,7 +1853,7 @@ void FixBondReact::limit_bond(int limit_bond_mode)
   int index1 = atom->find_custom("limit_tags",flag);
   int *i_limit_tags = atom->ivector[index1];
 
-  int index2 = atom->find_custom("statted_tags",flag);
+  int index2 = atom->find_custom(statted_id,flag);
   int *i_statted_tags = atom->ivector[index2];
 
   int index3 = atom->find_custom("react_tags",flag);
@@ -1842,7 +1883,7 @@ void FixBondReact::unlimit_bond()
   int index1 = atom->find_custom("limit_tags",flag);
   int *i_limit_tags = atom->ivector[index1];
 
-  int index2 = atom->find_custom("statted_tags",flag);
+  int index2 = atom->find_custom(statted_id,flag);
   int *i_statted_tags = atom->ivector[index2];
 
   int index3 = atom->find_custom("react_tags",flag);
diff --git a/src/USER-MISC/fix_bond_react.h b/src/USER-MISC/fix_bond_react.h
index b960ec8e73..472a02be1a 100644
--- a/src/USER-MISC/fix_bond_react.h
+++ b/src/USER-MISC/fix_bond_react.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class FixBondReact : public Fix {
   double **cutsq,*fraction;
   tagint lastcheck;
   int stabilization_flag;
+  int custom_exclude_flag;
   int *stabilize_steps_flag;
   int *update_edges_flag;
   int status;
@@ -88,6 +89,8 @@ class FixBondReact : public Fix {
   char *nve_limit_xmax; // indicates max distance allowed to move when relaxing
   char *id_fix1; // id of internally created fix nve/limit
   char *id_fix2; // id of internally created fix per-atom properties
+  char *id_fix3; // id of internally created 'stabilization group' per-atom property fix
+  char *statted_id; // name of 'stabilization group' per-atom property
   char *master_group; // group containing relaxing atoms from all fix rxns
   char *exclude_group; // group for system-wide thermostat