diff --git a/src/ionization/recfast.jl b/src/ionization/recfast.jl
index 98bd886..5a69c61 100644
--- a/src/ionization/recfast.jl
+++ b/src/ionization/recfast.jl
@@ -320,14 +320,59 @@ function late_Tmat(Tm, p, z)
 	return dTm
 end
 
+
+"""Tmat for z > 3500"""
+Tmat_early(z, 𝕣) = 𝕣.Tnow*(1+z)
+
+
+"""Xe until joint H/He recombination"""
+function Xe_early(z, 𝕣)
+    @assert z ≥ 3500
+    x0 = 1.0
+    if (zend > 8000.)
+        x0 = 1 + 2*𝕣.fHe
+    elseif (z > 5000.)
+        rhs = exp(1.5 * log(𝕣.CR*𝕣.Tnow/(1+z)) - 𝕣.CB1_He2/(𝕣.Tnow*(1+z)) ) / 𝕣.Nnow
+        rhs = rhs*1.  # ratio of g's is 1 for He++ <-> He+
+        x0 = 0.5 * (sqrt( (rhs-1-𝕣.fHe)^2 + 4*(1+2𝕣.fHe)*rhs) - (rhs-1-𝕣.fHe) )
+    elseif (z > 3500.)
+        x0 = 1 + 𝕣.fHe
+    else
+        # attempt Helium Saha
+        rhs = exp(1.5 * log(𝕣.CR*𝕣.Tnow/(1+z)) - 𝕣.CB1_He1/(𝕣.Tnow*(1+z)) ) / 𝕣.Nnow
+        rhs = rhs*4.  # ratio of g's is 4 for He+ <-> He0
+        x_He0 = 0.5 * ( sqrt( (rhs-1)^2 + 4*(1+𝕣.fHe)*rhs ) - (rhs-1))
+        x0 = x_He0
+    end
+    return x0
+end
+
+# determine redshift at which we have to stop He Saha
+function z_end_of_He_Saha(z_start, Δz, 𝕣)
+    z_ep4_end = z_start
+    for z in z_ep4_end:Δz:0.0
+        x_H0 = 1.
+        rhs = exp(1.5 * log(𝕣.CR*𝕣.Tnow/(1+z)) - 𝕣.CB1_He1/(𝕣.Tnow*(1+z)) ) / 𝕣.Nnow
+        rhs = rhs*4.  # ratio of g's is 4 for He+ <-> He0
+        x_He0 = 0.5 * ( sqrt( (rhs-1)^2 + 4*(1+𝕣.fHe)*rhs ) - (rhs-1))
+        x0 = x_He0
+        x_He0 = (x0 - 1) / 𝕣.fHe
+        if x_He0 ≤ 0.99
+            z_ep4_end = z
+            break
+        end
+    end
+    return z_ep4_end
+end
+
 function recfast_xe(𝕣::RECFAST{T};
-        Hswitch::Int=1, Heswitch::Int=6, Nz::Int=1000, zinitial=10000., zfinal=0.,
+        Nz::Int=1000, zinitial=10000., zfinal=0.,
         alg=Tsit5()) where T
 
     z = zinitial
     n = 𝕣.Nnow * (1 + z)^3
     y = zeros(T,3)  # array is x_H, x_He, Tmat (Hydrogen ionization, Helium ionization, matter temperature)
-	# println("T: ", T)
+
     y[3] = 𝕣.Tnow * (1 + z)
     Tmat = y[3]
 
@@ -338,6 +383,20 @@ function recfast_xe(𝕣::RECFAST{T};
     out_xe = zeros(T, Nz)
     out_Tmat = zeros(T, Nz)
 
+    
+    Δz = (zfinal - zinitial) / Nz
+
+    # during the "early" epoch, He is singly ionized
+    z_epoch_early = max(8000, zinitial):Δz:3500 
+
+    z_epoch_He_Saha_begin = max(zinital, 3500)
+    z_epoch_He_Saha_end = z_end_of_He_Saha(zinital, Δz, 𝕣)
+    z_epoch_He_Saha = z_epoch_He_Saha_begin:Δz:z_epoch_He_Saha_end
+
+    # H Saha must be integrated until a condition is met, OrdinaryDiffEq has an option I believe
+
+    # finally we do join recombination
+
     for i in 1:Nz
         # calculate the start and end redshift for the interval at each z
         # or just at each z