diff --git a/examples/10_streaming_write.cpp b/examples/10_streaming_write.cpp
index d64bee6d79..39f0b0ffda 100644
--- a/examples/10_streaming_write.cpp
+++ b/examples/10_streaming_write.cpp
@@ -22,12 +22,16 @@ int main()
     }
 
     // open file for writing
+    // use QueueFullPolicy = Discard in order to create a situation where from
+    // the reader's perspective steps are skipped. This tests the bug reported
+    // in https://github.com/openPMD/openPMD-api/issues/1747.
     Series series = Series("electrons.sst", Access::CREATE, R"(
 {
   "adios2": {
     "engine": {
       "parameters": {
-        "DataTransport": "WAN"
+        "DataTransport": "WAN",
+        "QueueFullPolicy": "Discard"
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/include/openPMD/IO/ADIOS/ADIOS2File.hpp b/include/openPMD/IO/ADIOS/ADIOS2File.hpp
index f7a428a866..d34cc8ebe5 100644
--- a/include/openPMD/IO/ADIOS/ADIOS2File.hpp
+++ b/include/openPMD/IO/ADIOS/ADIOS2File.hpp
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ class ADIOS2File
 
     size_t currentStep();
     void setStepSelection(std::optional<size_t>);
-    [[nodiscard]] std::optional<size_t> stepSelection() const;
+    [[nodiscard]] std::optional<size_t> const &stepSelection() const;
 
     [[nodiscard]] detail::AdiosAttributes const &attributes() const
     {
@@ -431,13 +431,9 @@ class ADIOS2File
     std::optional<adios2::Engine> m_engine; //! ADIOS engine
 
     /*
-     * Not all engines support the CurrentStep() call, so we have to
-     * implement this manually.
-     * Note: We don't use a std::optional<size_t> here since the currentStep
-     * is always being counted.
+     * Used for selecting steps in adios2::Mode::ReadRandomAccesss.
      */
-    size_t m_currentStep = 0;
-    bool useStepSelection = false;
+    std::optional<size_t> m_stepSelection;
     std::optional<size_t> m_max_steps_bp5 = std::make_optional<size_t>(100);
 
     /*
diff --git a/src/IO/ADIOS/ADIOS2File.cpp b/src/IO/ADIOS/ADIOS2File.cpp
index d0ab669ea6..e906463cb3 100644
--- a/src/IO/ADIOS/ADIOS2File.cpp
+++ b/src/IO/ADIOS/ADIOS2File.cpp
@@ -363,9 +363,9 @@ size_t ADIOS2File::currentStep()
     {
         return *step_selection;
     }
-    else if (nonpersistentEngine(m_impl->m_engineType))
+    else if (m_mode == adios2::Mode::ReadRandomAccess)
     {
-        return m_currentStep;
+        return 0;
     }
     else
     {
@@ -381,28 +381,12 @@ void ADIOS2File::setStepSelection(std::optional<size_t> step)
             "ADIOS2 backend: Cannot only use random-access step selections "
             "when reading without streaming mode.");
     }
-    if (!step.has_value())
-    {
-        m_currentStep = 0;
-        useStepSelection = false;
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        m_currentStep = *step;
-        useStepSelection = true;
-    }
+    m_stepSelection = step;
 }
 
-std::optional<size_t> ADIOS2File::stepSelection() const
+std::optional<size_t> const &ADIOS2File::stepSelection() const
 {
-    if (useStepSelection)
-    {
-        return {m_currentStep};
-    }
-    else
-    {
-        return std::nullopt;
-    }
+    return m_stepSelection;
 }
 
 void ADIOS2File::configure_IO_Read()
@@ -1172,7 +1156,6 @@ void ADIOS2File::flush_impl(ADIOS2FlushParams flushParams, bool writeLatePuts)
             }
             engine.EndStep();
             engine.BeginStep();
-            // ++m_currentStep; // think we should keep this as the logical step
             m_uniquePtrPuts.clear();
             uncommittedAttributes.clear();
             m_updateSpans.clear();
@@ -1257,14 +1240,14 @@ AdvanceStatus ADIOS2File::advance(AdvanceMode mode)
         uncommittedAttributes.clear();
         m_updateSpans.clear();
         streamStatus = StreamStatus::OutsideOfStep;
-        ++m_currentStep;
         return AdvanceStatus::OK;
     }
     case AdvanceMode::BEGINSTEP: {
         adios2::StepStatus adiosStatus{};
+        auto &engine = getEngine();
 
         auto check_bp5 = [&]() -> bool {
-            std::string engineType = getEngine().Type();
+            std::string engineType = engine.Type();
             std::transform(
                 engineType.begin(),
                 engineType.end(),
@@ -1273,7 +1256,7 @@ AdvanceStatus ADIOS2File::advance(AdvanceMode mode)
             return engineType == "bp5writer";
         };
 
-        if (this->m_currentStep == 0)
+        if (engine.CurrentStep() == 0)
         {
             int max_steps_from_env =
                 auxiliary::getEnvNum("OPENPMD_BP5_GROUPENCODING_MAX_STEPS", -1);
@@ -1293,7 +1276,7 @@ AdvanceStatus ADIOS2File::advance(AdvanceMode mode)
         if (this->m_impl->m_handler->m_encoding ==
                 IterationEncoding::groupBased &&
             this->m_max_steps_bp5.has_value() &&
-            this->m_currentStep >= *this->m_max_steps_bp5 &&
+            engine.CurrentStep() >= *this->m_max_steps_bp5 &&
             (this->m_mode == adios2::Mode::Write ||
              this->m_mode == adios2::Mode::Append) &&
             check_bp5())
@@ -1329,7 +1312,7 @@ Be aware of the performance implications described above.)");
 
         if (streamStatus != StreamStatus::DuringStep)
         {
-            adiosStatus = getEngine().BeginStep();
+            adiosStatus = engine.BeginStep();
         }
         else
         {
@@ -1403,7 +1386,7 @@ ADIOS2File::availableVariablesPrefixed(std::string const &prefix)
 ADIOS2File::AttributeMap_t const &ADIOS2File::availableVariables()
 {
     return m_variables.availableVariables(
-        currentStep(), useStepSelection, m_IO);
+        currentStep(), stepSelection().has_value(), m_IO);
 }
 
 void ADIOS2File::markActive(Writable *writable)