diff --git a/src/ast/sls/sat_ddfw.cpp b/src/ast/sls/sat_ddfw.cpp
index 9192a6f21..581c1a355 100644
--- a/src/ast/sls/sat_ddfw.cpp
+++ b/src/ast/sls/sat_ddfw.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ namespace sat {
     void ddfw::check_without_plugin() {
         while (m_limit.inc() && m_min_sz > 0) {
             if (should_reinit_weights()) do_reinit_weights();
-            else if (do_flip<false>());
+            else if (do_flip());
             else if (should_restart()) do_restart();
             else if (m_parallel_sync && m_parallel_sync());
             else shift_weights();
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ namespace sat {
                 if (should_reinit_weights()) do_reinit_weights();
                 else if (steps % 5000 == 0) shift_weights(), m_plugin->on_rescale();
                 else if (should_restart()) do_restart(), m_plugin->on_restart();
-                else if (do_flip<true>());
+                else if (do_flip());
                 else shift_weights(), m_plugin->on_rescale();
                 //verbose_stream() << "steps: " << steps << " min_sz: " << m_min_sz << " unsat: " << m_unsat.size() << "\n";
                 ++steps;
@@ -102,15 +102,13 @@ namespace sat {
         m_last_flips = m_flips;
     }
 
-    template<bool uses_plugin>
     bool ddfw::do_flip() {
         double reward = 0;
-        bool_var v = pick_var<uses_plugin>(reward);
+        bool_var v = pick_var(reward);
         //verbose_stream() << "flip " << v << " " << reward << "\n";
-        return apply_flip<uses_plugin>(v, reward);
+        return apply_flip(v, reward);
     }
 
-    template<bool uses_plugin>
     bool ddfw::apply_flip(bool_var v, double reward) {
         if (v == null_bool_var) 
             return false;
@@ -124,7 +122,6 @@ namespace sat {
         return false;
     }
 
-    template<bool uses_plugin>
     bool_var ddfw::pick_var(double& r) {
         double sum_pos = 0;
         unsigned n = 1;
@@ -167,13 +164,17 @@ namespace sat {
         }
     }
 
-    sat::bool_var ddfw::add_var(bool is_internal) {
+    sat::bool_var ddfw::add_var() {
         auto v = m_vars.size();
         m_vars.reserve(v + 1);
-        m_vars[v].m_internal = is_internal;
         return v;
     }
 
+    void ddfw::reserve_vars(unsigned n) {
+        m_vars.reserve(n);
+    }
+
+
     /**
      * Remove the last clause that was added
      */
@@ -215,11 +216,6 @@ namespace sat {
         m_restart_count = 0;
         m_restart_next = m_config.m_restart_base*2;
 
-#if 0
-        m_parsync_count = 0;
-        m_parsync_next = m_config.m_parsync_base;
-#endif
-
         m_min_sz = m_unsat.size();
         m_flips = 0;
         m_last_flips = 0;
@@ -244,9 +240,8 @@ namespace sat {
         m_use_list_index.push_back(m_flat_use_list.size());
     }
 
-    bool ddfw::flip(bool_var v) {
+    void ddfw::flip(bool_var v) {
         ++m_flips;
-        bool new_unsat = false;
         literal lit = literal(v, !value(v));
         literal nlit = ~lit;
         SASSERT(is_true(lit));
@@ -262,7 +257,6 @@ namespace sat {
                     verbose_stream() << "flipping unit clause " << ci << "\n";
 #endif
                 m_unsat.insert_fresh(cls_idx);
-                new_unsat = true;
                 auto const& c = get_clause(cls_idx);
                 for (literal l : c) {
                     inc_reward(l, w);
@@ -304,7 +298,6 @@ namespace sat {
         }
         value(v) = !value(v);
         update_reward_avg(v);
-        return new_unsat;
     }
 
     bool ddfw::should_reinit_weights() {
@@ -404,38 +397,20 @@ namespace sat {
         for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_vars(); ++i) 
             m_model[i] = to_lbool(value(i));
         save_priorities();
-        if (m_plugin && m_unsat.empty())
-            m_plugin->on_save_model();
+        if (m_plugin)
+            m_plugin->on_save_model();        
     }
 
-
     void ddfw::save_best_values() {
-        if (m_unsat.size() < m_min_sz || m_unsat.empty()) {
-            if (m_unsat.size() < 50 || m_min_sz * 10 > m_unsat.size() * 11)
-                save_model();
+        if ((m_unsat.size() < m_min_sz || m_unsat.empty()) && 
+            ((m_unsat.size() < 50 || m_min_sz * 10 > m_unsat.size() * 11)))
+            save_model();
+            
+        if (m_unsat.size() < m_min_sz) {
+            m_models.reset();
+            m_min_sz = m_unsat.size();
         }
-
-        if (m_unsat.size() < m_min_sz) 
-            m_models.reset();        
         
-        m_min_sz = m_unsat.size();
-
-#if 0
-        m_num_models.reserve(m_min_sz + 1);
-        unsigned nm = m_num_models[m_min_sz]++;
-        
-
-        if (nm >= 10) {
-            if (nm >= 200)
-                m_num_models[m_min_sz] = 10, m_restart_next = m_flips;
-            if (nm % 1 == 0) {
-                for (unsigned v = 0; v < num_vars(); ++v)
-                    bias(v) += value(v) ? 1 : -1;
-            }
-            return;
-        }
-#endif
-
         unsigned h = value_hash();
         unsigned occs = 0;
         bool contains = m_models.find(h, occs);
@@ -449,8 +424,7 @@ namespace sat {
         if (occs > 100) {
             m_restart_next = m_flips;            
             m_models.erase(h);
-        }
-        
+        }        
     }
 
     unsigned ddfw::value_hash() const {
diff --git a/src/ast/sls/sat_ddfw.h b/src/ast/sls/sat_ddfw.h
index d44cb2bb7..60e9424a7 100644
--- a/src/ast/sls/sat_ddfw.h
+++ b/src/ast/sls/sat_ddfw.h
@@ -69,13 +69,11 @@ namespace sat {
 
         struct var_info {
             var_info() {}
-            bool     m_internal = false;
             bool     m_value = false;
             double   m_reward = 0;
             double   m_last_reward = 0;
             unsigned m_make_count = 0;
             int      m_bias = 0;
-            bool     m_external = false;
             ema      m_reward_avg = 1e-5;
         };
         
@@ -124,11 +122,6 @@ namespace sat {
 
         inline double& reward(bool_var v) { return m_vars[v].m_reward; }        
 
-        void set_external(bool_var v) { m_vars[v].m_external = true; }
-
-        inline bool is_external(bool_var v) const { return m_vars[v].m_external; }
-
-        inline int& bias(bool_var v) { return m_vars[v].m_bias; }
 
         unsigned value_hash() const;
 
@@ -162,13 +155,10 @@ namespace sat {
         void check_without_plugin();
 
         // flip activity
-        template<bool uses_plugin>
         bool do_flip();
 
-        template<bool uses_plugin>
         bool_var pick_var(double& reward);     
 
-        template<bool uses_plugin>
         bool apply_flip(bool_var v, double reward);
 
 
@@ -253,18 +243,19 @@ namespace sat {
 
         void remove_assumptions();
 
-        bool flip(bool_var v);
+        void flip(bool_var v);
 
         inline double get_reward(bool_var v) const { return m_vars[v].m_reward; }
 
+        double get_reward_avg(bool_var v) const { return m_vars[v].m_reward_avg; }
+
+        inline int& bias(bool_var v) { return m_vars[v].m_bias; }
+
+        void reserve_vars(unsigned n);
+        
         void add(unsigned sz, literal const* c);
 
-        sat::bool_var add_var(bool is_internal = true);
-
-        // is this a variable that was added during initialization?
-        bool is_initial_var(sat::bool_var v) const {
-            return m_vars.size() > v && !m_vars[v].m_internal;
-        }
+        sat::bool_var add_var();
 
         void reinit();
 
diff --git a/src/ast/sls/sls_context.h b/src/ast/sls/sls_context.h
index 4d334e8c0..95f914292 100644
--- a/src/ast/sls/sls_context.h
+++ b/src/ast/sls/sls_context.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ namespace sls {
         virtual vector<sat::clause_info> const& clauses() const = 0;
         virtual sat::clause_info const& get_clause(unsigned idx) const = 0;
         virtual ptr_iterator<unsigned> get_use_list(sat::literal lit) = 0;
-        virtual bool flip(sat::bool_var v) = 0;
+        virtual void flip(sat::bool_var v) = 0;
         virtual double reward(sat::bool_var v) = 0;
         virtual double get_weigth(unsigned clause_idx) = 0;
         virtual bool is_true(sat::literal lit) = 0;
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ namespace sls {
         sat::literal mk_literal(expr* e);
         void add_clause(expr* f);
         void add_clause(sat::literal_vector const& lits);
-        bool flip(sat::bool_var v) { return s.flip(v); }
+        void flip(sat::bool_var v) { s.flip(v); }
         double reward(sat::bool_var v) { return s.reward(v); }
         indexed_uint_set const& unsat() const { return s.unsat(); }
         unsigned rand() { return m_rand(); }
diff --git a/src/ast/sls/sls_smt_solver.cpp b/src/ast/sls/sls_smt_solver.cpp
index 78daa678a..e4e9f1200 100644
--- a/src/ast/sls/sls_smt_solver.cpp
+++ b/src/ast/sls/sls_smt_solver.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ namespace sls {
             if (m_on_save_model)
                 return;
             flet<bool> _on_save_model(m_on_save_model, true);
-            TRACE("sls", display(tout));
+            CTRACE("sls", unsat().empty(), display(tout));
             while (unsat().empty()) {
                 m_context.check();
                 if (!m_new_constraint)
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ namespace sls {
         vector<sat::clause_info> const& clauses() const override { return m_ddfw.clauses(); }
         sat::clause_info const& get_clause(unsigned idx) const override { return m_ddfw.get_clause_info(idx); }
         ptr_iterator<unsigned> get_use_list(sat::literal lit) override { return m_ddfw.use_list(lit); }
-        bool flip(sat::bool_var v) override { if (m_dirty) m_ddfw.reinit(), m_dirty = false;  return m_ddfw.flip(v); }
+        void flip(sat::bool_var v) override { if (m_dirty) m_ddfw.reinit(), m_dirty = false;  m_ddfw.flip(v); }
         double reward(sat::bool_var v) override { return m_ddfw.get_reward(v); }
         double get_weigth(unsigned clause_idx) override { return m_ddfw.get_clause_info(clause_idx).m_weight; }
         bool is_true(sat::literal lit) override { return m_ddfw.get_value(lit.var()) != lit.sign(); }
diff --git a/src/sat/sat_solver.cpp b/src/sat/sat_solver.cpp
index ed312a76c..69f3c0f37 100644
--- a/src/sat/sat_solver.cpp
+++ b/src/sat/sat_solver.cpp
@@ -2932,6 +2932,7 @@ namespace sat {
                 bool_var v = m_trail[i].var();
                 m_best_phase[v] = m_phase[v];
             }
+            set_has_new_best_phase(true);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/sat/sat_solver.h b/src/sat/sat_solver.h
index 9e7186a34..657c92178 100644
--- a/src/sat/sat_solver.h
+++ b/src/sat/sat_solver.h
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ namespace sat {
         bool_vector             m_phase; 
         bool_vector             m_best_phase;
         bool_vector             m_prev_phase;
+        bool                    m_new_best_phase = false;
         svector<char>           m_assigned_since_gc;
         search_state            m_search_state; 
         unsigned                m_search_unsat_conflicts;
@@ -380,6 +381,9 @@ namespace sat {
         bool was_eliminated(literal l) const { return was_eliminated(l.var()); }
         void set_phase(literal l) override { if (l.var() < num_vars()) m_best_phase[l.var()] = m_phase[l.var()] = !l.sign(); }
         bool get_phase(bool_var b) { return m_phase.get(b, false); }
+        bool get_best_phase(bool_var b) { return m_best_phase.get(b, false); }
+        void set_has_new_best_phase(bool b) { m_new_best_phase = b; }
+        bool has_new_best_phase() const { return m_new_best_phase; }
         void move_to_front(bool_var b);
         unsigned scope_lvl() const { return m_scope_lvl; }
         unsigned search_lvl() const { return m_search_lvl; }
diff --git a/src/sat/smt/sls_solver.cpp b/src/sat/smt/sls_solver.cpp
index 950a62ca0..bf40278b7 100644
--- a/src/sat/smt/sls_solver.cpp
+++ b/src/sat/smt/sls_solver.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Author:
 
     Nikolaj Bjorner (nbjorner) 2024-02-21
 
+
 --*/
 
 #include "sat/smt/sls_solver.h"
@@ -36,7 +37,125 @@ namespace sls {
         finalize();
     }
 
-    void solver::finalize() {
+
+    class solver::smt_plugin : public sat::local_search_plugin, public sls::sat_solver_context {
+        solver& s;
+        sat::ddfw* m_ddfw;
+        sls::context m_context;
+        bool m_new_clause_added = false;
+        unsigned m_num_shared_vars = 0;
+
+        // export from SAT to SLS:
+        // - unit literals
+        // - phase
+        // - values
+        bool export_to_sls() {
+            bool updated = false;
+            if (s.m_has_units) {
+                std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(s.m_mutex);
+                IF_VERBOSE(1, verbose_stream() << "SAT->SLS units " << s.m_units << "\n");
+                for (auto lit : s.m_units)
+                    if (lit.var() < m_num_shared_vars)
+                        m_ddfw->add(1, &lit);
+                s.m_has_units = false;
+                s.m_units.reset();
+                updated = true;
+            }
+            if (m_has_new_sat_phase) {
+                std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(s.m_mutex);
+                IF_VERBOSE(1, verbose_stream() << "SAT->SLS phase\n");
+                for (unsigned i = 0; i < m_sat_phase.size(); ++i) {
+                    if (m_sat_phase[i] != is_true(sat::literal(i, false))) 
+                        flip(i);
+                    m_ddfw->bias(i) = m_sat_phase[i] ? 1 : -1;
+                }
+                m_has_new_sat_phase = false;                
+            }
+            return updated;
+        }
+        
+        // import from SLS:
+        // - activity
+        // - phase
+        // - values
+        void import_from_sls() {
+            std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(s.m_mutex);
+            for (unsigned v = 0; v < m_num_shared_vars; ++v) {
+                m_rewards[v] = m_ddfw->get_reward_avg(v);
+                m_sls_phase[v] = l_true == m_ddfw->get_model()[v];
+                m_has_new_sls_phase = true;
+            }
+        }
+
+    public:
+        smt_plugin(ast_manager& m, solver& s, sat::ddfw* d) : 
+	    s(s), m_ddfw(d), m_context(m, *this) {}
+
+
+        svector<bool> m_sat_phase;
+        std::atomic<bool> m_has_new_sat_phase = false;
+
+        std::atomic<bool> m_has_new_sls_phase = false;
+        svector<bool> m_sls_phase;
+
+        svector<double> m_rewards;
+        
+        void init_search() override {}
+
+        void finish_search() override {}
+
+        void on_rescale() override {}
+
+        void on_restart() override {
+            if (export_to_sls())
+                m_ddfw->reinit();
+        }
+
+        void on_save_model() override {
+            TRACE("sls", display(tout));
+            while (unsat().empty()) {
+                m_context.check();
+                if (!m_new_clause_added)
+                    break;
+                m_ddfw->reinit();
+                m_new_clause_added = false;
+            }
+            import_from_sls();
+        }
+
+        void on_model(model_ref& mdl) override {
+            IF_VERBOSE(1, verbose_stream() << "on-model " << "\n");
+            s.m_sls_model = mdl;
+        }
+
+        void register_atom(sat::bool_var v, expr* e) {
+            m_context.register_atom(v, e);
+        }
+
+        std::ostream& display(std::ostream& out) {
+            m_ddfw->display(out);
+            m_context.display(out);
+            return out;
+        }
+
+        vector<sat::clause_info> const& clauses() const override { return m_ddfw->clauses(); }
+        sat::clause_info const& get_clause(unsigned idx) const override { return m_ddfw->get_clause_info(idx); }
+        ptr_iterator<unsigned> get_use_list(sat::literal lit) override { return m_ddfw->use_list(lit); }
+        void flip(sat::bool_var v) override { m_ddfw->flip(v); }
+        double reward(sat::bool_var v) override { return m_ddfw->get_reward(v); }
+        double get_weigth(unsigned clause_idx) override { return m_ddfw->get_clause_info(clause_idx).m_weight; }
+        bool is_true(sat::literal lit) override { return m_ddfw->get_value(lit.var()) != lit.sign(); }
+        unsigned num_vars() const override { return m_ddfw->num_vars(); }
+        indexed_uint_set const& unsat() const override { return m_ddfw->unsat_set(); }
+        sat::bool_var add_var() override { return m_ddfw->add_var(); }
+        void add_clause(unsigned n, sat::literal const* lits) override { 
+            m_ddfw->add(n, lits);
+            m_new_clause_added = true;
+        }
+        void force_restart() override { m_ddfw->force_restart(); }
+    };
+
+        void solver::finalize() {
         if (!m_completed && m_ddfw) {
             m_ddfw->rlimit().cancel();
             m_thread.join();            
@@ -65,79 +184,25 @@ namespace sls {
             m_units.push_back(lit);
             m_has_units = true;
         }
+        if (s().at_base_lvl()) {
+            if (s().has_new_best_phase()) {
+                IF_VERBOSE(1, verbose_stream() << "new SAT->SLS phase\n");
+                m_smt_plugin->m_has_new_sat_phase = true;
+                s().set_has_new_best_phase(false);
+                std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(m_mutex);
+                for (unsigned i = 0; i < m_smt_plugin->m_sat_phase.size(); ++i)
+                    m_smt_plugin->m_sat_phase[i] = s().get_best_phase(i);
+            }
+        }
+        if (m_smt_plugin->m_has_new_sls_phase) {
+            IF_VERBOSE(1, verbose_stream() << "new SLS->SAT phase\n");
+            std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(m_mutex);
+            for (unsigned i = 0; i < m_smt_plugin->m_sls_phase.size(); ++i)
+                s().set_phase(sat::literal(i, !m_smt_plugin->m_sls_phase[i]));
+            m_smt_plugin->m_has_new_sls_phase = false;
+        }
     }       
 
-    class solver::smt_plugin : public sat::local_search_plugin, public sls::sat_solver_context {
-        solver& s;
-        sat::ddfw* m_ddfw;
-        sls::context m_context;
-        bool m_new_clause_added = false;
-    public:
-        smt_plugin(ast_manager& m, solver& s, sat::ddfw* d) : 
-	    s(s), m_ddfw(d), m_context(m, *this) {}
-
-        void init_search() override {}
-
-        void finish_search() override {}
-
-        void on_rescale() override {}
-
-        void on_restart() override {
-            if (!s.m_has_units)
-                return;
-            {
-                std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(s.m_mutex);
-                for (auto lit : s.m_units)
-                    if (m_ddfw->is_initial_var(lit.var()))
-                        m_ddfw->add(1, &lit);
-                s.m_has_units = false;
-                s.m_units.reset();
-            }
-            m_ddfw->reinit();
-        }
-
-        void on_save_model() override {
-            TRACE("sls", display(tout));
-            while (unsat().empty()) {
-                m_context.check();
-                if (!m_new_clause_added)
-                    break;
-                m_ddfw->reinit();
-                m_new_clause_added = false;
-            }
-        }
-
-        void on_model(model_ref& mdl) override {
-            IF_VERBOSE(1, verbose_stream() << "on-model " << "\n");
-            s.m_sls_model = mdl;
-        }
-
-        void register_atom(sat::bool_var v, expr* e) {
-            m_context.register_atom(v, e);
-        }
-
-        std::ostream& display(std::ostream& out) {
-            m_ddfw->display(out);
-            m_context.display(out);
-            return out;
-        }
-
-        vector<sat::clause_info> const& clauses() const override { return m_ddfw->clauses(); }
-        sat::clause_info const& get_clause(unsigned idx) const override { return m_ddfw->get_clause_info(idx); }
-        ptr_iterator<unsigned> get_use_list(sat::literal lit) override { return m_ddfw->use_list(lit); }
-        bool flip(sat::bool_var v) override { return m_ddfw->flip(v); }
-        double reward(sat::bool_var v) override { return m_ddfw->get_reward(v); }
-        double get_weigth(unsigned clause_idx) override { return m_ddfw->get_clause_info(clause_idx).m_weight; }
-        bool is_true(sat::literal lit) override { return m_ddfw->get_value(lit.var()) != lit.sign(); }
-        unsigned num_vars() const override { return m_ddfw->num_vars(); }
-        indexed_uint_set const& unsat() const override { return m_ddfw->unsat_set(); }
-        sat::bool_var add_var() override { return m_ddfw->add_var(); }
-        void add_clause(unsigned n, sat::literal const* lits) override { 
-            m_ddfw->add(n, lits);
-            m_new_clause_added = true;
-        }
-        void force_restart() override { m_ddfw->force_restart(); }
-    };
 
     void solver::init_search() {
         if (m_ddfw) {
@@ -215,6 +280,5 @@ namespace sls {
         out << "sls-solver\n";
         return out;
     }
-
 #endif
 }