diff --git a/modules/nextflow/src/main/groovy/nextflow/extension/op/OpAccumulatorClosure.groovy b/modules/nextflow/src/main/groovy/nextflow/extension/op/OpAccumulatorClosure.groovy
index cbb29a4004..d60306dc89 100644
--- a/modules/nextflow/src/main/groovy/nextflow/extension/op/OpAccumulatorClosure.groovy
+++ b/modules/nextflow/src/main/groovy/nextflow/extension/op/OpAccumulatorClosure.groovy
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class OpAccumulatorClosure extends OpClosure {
     }
 
     @Override
-    protected OperatorRun runInstance() {
+    protected OperatorRun allocateRun() {
         return getPreviousRun()
     }
 }
diff --git a/modules/nextflow/src/main/groovy/nextflow/extension/op/OpClosure.groovy b/modules/nextflow/src/main/groovy/nextflow/extension/op/OpClosure.groovy
index 55f9f53f9c..efca7f304d 100644
--- a/modules/nextflow/src/main/groovy/nextflow/extension/op/OpClosure.groovy
+++ b/modules/nextflow/src/main/groovy/nextflow/extension/op/OpClosure.groovy
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class OpClosure extends Closure implements OpContext {
 
     private final Closure target
 
-    private final ThreadLocal<OperatorRun> runPerThread = ThreadLocal.withInitial(()->new OperatorRun())
+    private final ThreadLocal<OperatorRun> runPerThread = new ThreadLocal<>()
 
     private final Map<String,OperatorRun> holder = new ConcurrentHashMap<>()
 
@@ -96,8 +96,9 @@ class OpClosure extends Closure implements OpContext {
         target.setProperty(propertyName, newValue)
     }
 
-    protected OperatorRun runInstance() {
-        final result = runPerThread.get()
+    protected OperatorRun allocateRun() {
+        final result = new OperatorRun()
+        runPerThread.set(result)
         setPreviousRun(result)
         return result
     }
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ class OpClosure extends Closure implements OpContext {
     @Override
     Object call(final Object... args) {
         // when the accumulator flag true, re-use the previous run object
-        final OperatorRun run = runInstance()
+        final OperatorRun run = allocateRun()
         // map the inputs
         final List<Object> inputs = Prov.getTracker().receiveInputs(run, Arrays.asList(args))
         final Object result = InvokerHelper.invokeMethod(target, "call", inputs.toArray())
diff --git a/modules/nextflow/src/test/groovy/nextflow/prov/ProvTest.groovy b/modules/nextflow/src/test/groovy/nextflow/prov/ProvTest.groovy
index 1330a45b97..2bc9be4c25 100644
--- a/modules/nextflow/src/test/groovy/nextflow/prov/ProvTest.groovy
+++ b/modules/nextflow/src/test/groovy/nextflow/prov/ProvTest.groovy
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ class ProvTest extends Dsl2Spec {
         upstream.first.name == 'p1'
     }
 
-    def 'should branch two process'() {
+    def 'should track provenance with branch operator'() {
 
         when:
         dsl_eval(globalConfig(), '''
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ class ProvTest extends Dsl2Spec {
 
     }
 
-    def 'should track provenance two processes and the filter operator'() {
+    def 'should track provenance with filter operator'() {
 
         when:
         dsl_eval(globalConfig(), '''