diff --git a/src/commands/CmdContinue.cpp b/src/commands/CmdContinue.cpp
index 1c204e6f..1672c9b4 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdContinue.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdContinue.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ int CmdContinue (
   flattenDatabase (database, rules);
 
   Interval to_copy;
-  Interval latest = getLatestInterval (database);
 
   if (ids.size() == 1)
   {
@@ -68,6 +67,8 @@ int CmdContinue (
   }
   else
   {
+    Interval latest = getLatestInterval (database);
+
     if (latest.empty ())
     {
       throw std::string ("There is no previous tracking to continue.");
@@ -100,17 +101,6 @@ int CmdContinue (
   to_copy.start = start_time;
   to_copy.end = end_time;
 
-  if (latest.is_open ())
-  {
-    Interval modified {latest};
-    modified.end = start_time;
-    database.modifyInterval(latest, modified, verbose);
-    if (verbose)
-    {
-      std::cout << '\n' << intervalSummarize (database, rules, modified);
-    }
-  }
-
   validate (cli, rules, database, to_copy);
   database.addInterval (to_copy, verbose);
 
diff --git a/src/validate.cpp b/src/validate.cpp
index a5c91eae..8c24cc65 100644
--- a/src/validate.cpp
+++ b/src/validate.cpp
@@ -112,8 +112,31 @@ static void autoAdjust (
     debug ("              " + overlap.dump ());
   }
 
+  auto verbose = rules.getBoolean ("verbose");
+
   if (! adjust)
   {
+    // standard overlap resolution: an open interval can truncate another open interval
+    if (overlaps.size () == 1)
+    {
+      auto overlap = overlaps[0];
+
+      if (overlap.is_open () && interval.is_open () && interval.startsWithin (overlap))
+      {
+        // start date of new interval within old interval
+        Interval modified {overlap};
+        modified.end = interval.start;
+        database.modifyInterval (overlap, modified, verbose);
+
+        if (verbose)
+        {
+          std::cout << '\n' << intervalSummarize (database, rules, modified);
+        }
+
+        return;
+      }
+    }
+
     throw std::string("You cannot overlap intervals. Correct the start/end "
                       "time, or specify the :adjust hint.");
   }
@@ -130,14 +153,14 @@ static void autoAdjust (
         // start date of new interval within old interval
         Interval modified {overlap};
         modified.end = interval.start;
-        database.modifyInterval (overlap, modified, rules.getBoolean ("verbose"));
+        database.modifyInterval (overlap, modified, verbose);
       }
       else if (!start_within_overlap && end_within_overlap)
       {
         // end date of new interval within old interval
         Interval modified {overlap};
         modified.start = interval.end;
-        database.modifyInterval (overlap, modified, rules.getBoolean ("verbose"));
+        database.modifyInterval (overlap, modified, verbose);
       }
       else if (!start_within_overlap && !end_within_overlap)
       {
@@ -159,12 +182,12 @@ static void autoAdjust (
         }
         else
         {
-          database.modifyInterval (overlap, split1, rules.getBoolean ("verbose"));
+          database.modifyInterval (overlap, split1, verbose);
         }
 
         if (! split2.is_empty ())
         {
-          database.addInterval (split2, rules.getBoolean ("verbose"));
+          database.addInterval (split2, verbose);
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/test/continue.t b/test/continue.t
index 6292f08f..a6e00be1 100755
--- a/test/continue.t
+++ b/test/continue.t
@@ -150,6 +150,52 @@ class TestContinue(TestCase):
                                 expectedTags=["FOO"],
                                 description="continued interval")
 
+    def test_continue_without_adjust_hint(self):
+        """Verify that continuing without the :adjust hint fails to overwrite"""
+        now_utc = datetime.now().utcnow()
+
+        two_hours_before_utc = now_utc - timedelta(hours=2)
+        three_hours_before_utc = now_utc - timedelta(hours=3)
+        four_hours_before_utc = now_utc - timedelta(hours=4)
+        five_hours_before_utc = now_utc - timedelta(hours=5)
+
+        self.t("track FOO {:%Y-%m-%dT%H}:00:00Z - {:%Y-%m-%dT%H}:00:00Z".format(five_hours_before_utc, four_hours_before_utc))
+        self.t("track BAR {:%Y-%m-%dT%H}:00:00Z - {:%Y-%m-%dT%H}:00:00Z".format(four_hours_before_utc, two_hours_before_utc))
+
+        self.t.runError("continue @2 {:%Y-%m-%dT%H}:00:00Z".format(three_hours_before_utc))
+
+    def test_continue_with_adjust_hint(self):
+        """Verify that continuing with the :adjust hint works"""
+        now_utc = datetime.now().utcnow()
+
+        two_hours_before_utc = now_utc - timedelta(hours=2)
+        three_hours_before_utc = now_utc - timedelta(hours=3)
+        four_hours_before_utc = now_utc - timedelta(hours=4)
+        five_hours_before_utc = now_utc - timedelta(hours=5)
+
+        self.t("track FOO {:%Y-%m-%dT%H}:00:00Z - {:%Y-%m-%dT%H}:00:00Z".format(five_hours_before_utc, four_hours_before_utc))
+        self.t("track BAR {:%Y-%m-%dT%H}:00:00Z - {:%Y-%m-%dT%H}:00:00Z".format(four_hours_before_utc, two_hours_before_utc))
+
+        self.t("continue @2 {:%Y-%m-%dT%H}:00:00Z :adjust".format(three_hours_before_utc))
+
+        j = self.t.export()
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(j), 3)
+        self.assertClosedInterval(j[0],
+                                  expectedStart="{:%Y%m%dT%H}0000Z".format(five_hours_before_utc),
+                                  expectedEnd="{:%Y%m%dT%H}0000Z".format(four_hours_before_utc),
+                                  expectedTags=["FOO"],
+                                  description="first interval")
+        self.assertClosedInterval(j[1],
+                                  expectedStart="{:%Y%m%dT%H}0000Z".format(four_hours_before_utc),
+                                  expectedEnd="{:%Y%m%dT%H}0000Z".format(three_hours_before_utc),
+                                  expectedTags=["BAR"],
+                                  description="second interval")
+        self.assertOpenInterval(j[2],
+                                expectedStart="{:%Y%m%dT%H}0000Z".format(three_hours_before_utc),
+                                expectedTags=["FOO"],
+                                description="continued interval")
+
     def test_continue_with_id_and_range(self):
         """Verify that continue with a range adds a copy with same tags"""
         now_utc = datetime.now().utcnow()