diff --git a/skgstat/Variogram.py b/skgstat/Variogram.py
index e48c16f..1102d96 100644
--- a/skgstat/Variogram.py
+++ b/skgstat/Variogram.py
@@ -389,9 +389,7 @@ def __init__(self,
 
         # do the preprocessing and fitting upon initialization
         # Note that fit() calls preprocessing
-        fit_bounds = self._kwargs.get('fit_bounds') # returns None if empty
-        fit_p0 = self._kwargs.get('fit_p0')
-        self.fit(force=True, bounds=fit_bounds, p0=fit_p0)
+        self.fit(force=True)
 
         # finally check if any of the uncertainty propagation kwargs are set
         self._experimental_conf_interval = None
@@ -1622,6 +1620,12 @@ def fit(self, force=False, method=None, sigma=None, bounds=None, p0=None, **kwar
         scipy.optimize.least_squares
 
         """
+        # get `bounds` and `p0` from `self._kwargs`, still `None` if not set
+        if bounds is None:
+            bounds = self._kwargs.get('fit_bounds') # returns None if empty
+        if p0 is None:
+            p0 = self._kwargs.get('fit_p0')
+
         # store the old cof
         if self.cof is None:
             old_params = {}