diff --git a/RecCalorimeter/src/components/CreateCaloCells.cpp b/RecCalorimeter/src/components/CreateCaloCells.cpp
index 0072fbe6..4b254956 100644
--- a/RecCalorimeter/src/components/CreateCaloCells.cpp
+++ b/RecCalorimeter/src/components/CreateCaloCells.cpp
@@ -36,12 +36,15 @@ StatusCode CreateCaloCells::initialize() {
   info() << "add cell noise      : " << m_addCellNoise << endmsg;
   info() << "remove cells below threshold : " << m_filterCellNoise << endmsg;
   info() << "add position information to the cell : " << m_addPosition << endmsg;
+  info() << "emulate crosstalk : " << m_addCrosstalk << endmsg;
 
   // Initialization of tools
   // Cell crosstalk tool
-  if (!m_crosstalksTool.retrieve()) {
-    error() << "Unable to retrieve the cell crosstalk tool!!!" << endmsg;
-    return StatusCode::FAILURE;
+  if (m_addCrosstalk) {
+    if (!m_crosstalksTool.retrieve()) {
+      error() << "Unable to retrieve the cell crosstalk tool!!!" << endmsg;
+      return StatusCode::FAILURE;
+    }
   }
   // Calibrate Geant4 energy to EM scale tool
   if (m_doCellCalibration) {
@@ -95,59 +98,60 @@ StatusCode CreateCaloCells::execute() {
     m_cellsMap.clear();
   }
 
-  std::unordered_map<uint64_t, double> HitCellsMap;
 
   // 1. Merge energy deposits into cells
   // If running with noise map already was prepared. Otherwise it is being
   // created below
   for (const auto& hit : *hits) {
     verbose() << "CellID : " << hit.getCellID() << endmsg;
-    if(m_addCrosstalk) { // Crosstalk only applies to energy deposits caused by EM shower hits. Therefore, cell noise needs to be excluded.
-      HitCellsMap[hit.getCellID()] += hit.getEnergy();
-    }
     m_cellsMap[hit.getCellID()] += hit.getEnergy();
   }
+  debug() << "Number of calorimeter cells after merging of hits: " << m_cellsMap.size() << endmsg;
+
+  // 2. Emulate cross-talk (if asked)
   if(m_addCrosstalk) {
-    m_CrosstalkCellsMap.clear();
-    // loop over cells that get actual EM shower hits
-    for (const auto& this_cell : HitCellsMap) {
-      uint64_t this_cellId=this_cell.first;
+    // Derive the cross-talk contributions without affecting yet the nominal energy
+    // (one has to emulate crosstalk based on cells free from any cross-talk contributions)
+    m_CrosstalkCellsMap.clear(); // this is a temporary map to hold energy exchange due to cross-talk, without affecting yet the nominal energy
+    // loop over cells with nominal energies
+    for (const auto& this_cell : m_cellsMap) {
+      uint64_t this_cellId = this_cell.first;
       auto vec_neighbours = m_crosstalksTool->getNeighbours(this_cellId); // a vector of neighbour IDs
       auto vec_crosstalks = m_crosstalksTool->getCrosstalks(this_cellId); // a vector of crosstalk coefficients
-      // loop over crosstalk neighbrous of the cell under study
+      // loop over crosstalk neighbours of the cell under study
       for (unsigned int i_cell=0; i_cell<vec_neighbours.size(); i_cell++) {
-	// signal transfer = energy deposit brought by EM shower hits * crosstalk coefficient
+        // signal transfer = energy deposit brought by EM shower hits * crosstalk coefficient
         double signal_transfer = this_cell.second * vec_crosstalks[i_cell];
-	// for the cell under study, record the signal transfer that will be subtracted from its final cell energy
+        // for the cell under study, record the signal transfer that will be subtracted from its final cell energy
         m_CrosstalkCellsMap[this_cellId] -= signal_transfer;
-	// for the crosstalk neighbour, record the signal transfer that will be added to its final cell energy
+        // for the crosstalk neighbour, record the signal transfer that will be added to its final cell energy
         m_CrosstalkCellsMap[vec_neighbours[i_cell]] += signal_transfer;
       }
     }
 
+    // apply the cross-talk contributions on the nominal cell-energy map
     for (const auto& this_cell : m_CrosstalkCellsMap) {
       m_cellsMap[this_cell.first] += this_cell.second;
     }
     
   }
-  debug() << "Number of calorimeter cells after merging of hits: " << m_cellsMap.size() << endmsg;
 
-  // 2. Calibrate simulation energy to EM scale
+  // 3. Calibrate simulation energy to EM scale
   if (m_doCellCalibration) {
     m_calibTool->calibrate(m_cellsMap);
   }
 
-  // 3. Add noise to all cells
+  // 4. Add noise to all cells
   if (m_addCellNoise) {
     m_noiseTool->addRandomCellNoise(m_cellsMap);
   }
 
-  // 4. Filter cells
+  // 5. Filter cells
   if (m_filterCellNoise) {
     m_noiseTool->filterCellNoise(m_cellsMap);
   }
 
-  // 5. Copy information to CaloHitCollection
+  // 6. Copy information to CaloHitCollection
   edm4hep::CalorimeterHitCollection* edmCellsCollection = new edm4hep::CalorimeterHitCollection();
   for (const auto& cell : m_cellsMap) {
     if (m_addCellNoise || (!m_addCellNoise && cell.second != 0)) {
diff --git a/RecCalorimeter/src/components/CreateCaloCells.h b/RecCalorimeter/src/components/CreateCaloCells.h
index 0aaa2d76..5c3a2724 100644
--- a/RecCalorimeter/src/components/CreateCaloCells.h
+++ b/RecCalorimeter/src/components/CreateCaloCells.h
@@ -32,14 +32,17 @@ class IGeoSvc;
  *
  *  Flow of the program:
  *  1/ Merge Geant4 energy deposits with same cellID
- *  2/ Calibrate to electromagnetic scale (if calibration switched on)
- *  3/ Add random noise to each cell (if noise switched on)
- *  4/ Filter cells and remove those with energy below threshold (if noise +
+ *  2/ Emulate cross-talk (if switched on)
+ *  3/ Calibrate to electromagnetic scale (if calibration switched on)
+ *  4/ Add random noise to each cell (if noise switched on)
+ *  5/ Filter cells and remove those with energy below threshold (if noise +
  * filtering switched on)
  *
  *  Tools called:
  *    - CalibrateCaloHitsTool
  *    - NoiseCaloCellsTool
+ *    - CaloReadCrosstalkMap
+ *    - CalorimeterTool (for geometry)
  *
  *  @author Jana Faltova
  *  @author Anna Zaborowska
@@ -70,7 +73,7 @@ class CreateCaloCells : public GaudiAlgorithm {
   ToolHandle<ICalorimeterTool> m_geoTool{"TubeLayerPhiEtaCaloTool", this};
 
   /// Add crosstalk to cells?
-  Gaudi::Property<bool> m_addCrosstalk{this, "addCrosstalk", true, "Add crosstalk effect?"};
+  Gaudi::Property<bool> m_addCrosstalk{this, "addCrosstalk", false, "Add crosstalk effect?"};
   /// Calibrate to EM scale?
   Gaudi::Property<bool> m_doCellCalibration{this, "doCellCalibration", true, "Calibrate to EM scale?"};
   /// Add noise to cells?
@@ -119,8 +122,9 @@ class CreateCaloCells : public GaudiAlgorithm {
   /// Pointer to the geometry service
   ServiceHandle<IGeoSvc> m_geoSvc;
   dd4hep::VolumeManager m_volman;
-  /// Maps of cell IDs (corresponding to DD4hep IDs) on (1) final energies to be used for clustering, (2) transfer of signals due to crosstalk
+  /// Maps of cell IDs (corresponding to DD4hep IDs) on final energies to be used for clustering
   std::unordered_map<uint64_t, double> m_cellsMap;
+  /// Maps of cell IDs (corresponding to DD4hep IDs) on transfer of signals due to crosstalk
   std::unordered_map<uint64_t, double> m_CrosstalkCellsMap;
 };