diff --git a/C/adtdefs.c b/C/adtdefs.c
index 7608ced13..2a978cc0f 100755
--- a/C/adtdefs.c
+++ b/C/adtdefs.c
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ InlinedUnlockedMkFunctor(AtomEntry *ae, unsigned int arity)
   p->NameOfFE = AbsAtom(ae);
   p->ArityOfFE = arity;
   p->PropsOfFE = NIL;
-  p->NextOfPE = ae->PropsOfAE;
   INIT_RWLOCK(p->FRWLock);
-  ae->PropsOfAE = AbsProp((PropEntry *) p);
+  /* respect the first property, in case this is a wide atom */
+  AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)p);
   return ((Functor) p);
 }
 
@@ -104,8 +104,7 @@ Yap_MkFunctorWithAddress(Atom ap, unsigned int arity, FunctorEntry *p)
   p->KindOfPE = FunctorProperty;
   p->NameOfFE = ap;
   p->ArityOfFE = arity;
-  p->NextOfPE = RepAtom(ap)->PropsOfAE;
-  ae->PropsOfAE = AbsProp((PropEntry *) p);
+  AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)p);
   WRITE_UNLOCK(ae->ARWLock);
 }
 
@@ -898,7 +897,6 @@ Yap_NewPredPropByAtom(AtomEntry *ae, Term cur_mod)
   p->beamTable = NULL;
 #endif 
   /* careful that they don't cross MkFunctor */
-  p->NextOfPE = ae->PropsOfAE;
   if (PRED_GOAL_EXPANSION_FUNC) {
     Prop p1 = ae->PropsOfAE;
 
@@ -914,7 +912,8 @@ Yap_NewPredPropByAtom(AtomEntry *ae, Term cur_mod)
       p1 = pe->NextOfPE;
     }
   }
-  ae->PropsOfAE = p0 = AbsPredProp(p);
+  AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)p);
+  p0 = AbsPredProp(p);
   p->FunctorOfPred = (Functor)AbsAtom(ae);
   WRITE_UNLOCK(ae->ARWLock);
 #ifdef LOW_PROF
diff --git a/C/arith0.c b/C/arith0.c
index bd0a1f718..1c780717f 100644
--- a/C/arith0.c
+++ b/C/arith0.c
@@ -198,8 +198,7 @@ Yap_InitConstExps(void)
     p->ArityOfEE = 0;
     p->ENoOfEE = 0;
     p->FOfEE = InitConstTab[i].f;
-    p->NextOfPE = ae->PropsOfAE;
-    ae->PropsOfAE = AbsExpProp(p);
+    AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)p);
     WRITE_UNLOCK(ae->ARWLock);
   }
 }
diff --git a/C/arith1.c b/C/arith1.c
index 4c14bc5b7..6d7c7601a 100755
--- a/C/arith1.c
+++ b/C/arith1.c
@@ -835,8 +835,7 @@ Yap_InitUnaryExps(void)
     p->ArityOfEE = 1;
     p->ENoOfEE = 1;
     p->FOfEE = InitUnTab[i].f;
-    p->NextOfPE = ae->PropsOfAE;
-    ae->PropsOfAE = AbsExpProp(p);
+    AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)p);
     WRITE_UNLOCK(ae->ARWLock);
   }
   Yap_InitCPred("is", 3, p_unary_is, TestPredFlag | SafePredFlag);
diff --git a/C/arith2.c b/C/arith2.c
index 23303e4ac..e6d9e9966 100755
--- a/C/arith2.c
+++ b/C/arith2.c
@@ -1217,8 +1217,7 @@ Yap_InitBinaryExps(void)
     p->ArityOfEE = 2;
     p->ENoOfEE = 2;
     p->FOfEE = InitBinTab[i].f;
-    p->NextOfPE = ae->PropsOfAE;
-    ae->PropsOfAE = AbsExpProp(p);
+    AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)p);
     WRITE_UNLOCK(ae->ARWLock);
   }
   Yap_InitCPred("is", 4, p_binary_is, TestPredFlag | SafePredFlag);
diff --git a/C/arrays.c b/C/arrays.c
index 52af62739..fcf8f2b6c 100644
--- a/C/arrays.c
+++ b/C/arrays.c
@@ -566,9 +566,8 @@ CreateNamedArray(PropEntry * pp, Int dim, AtomEntry *ae USES_REGS)
 
   p = (ArrayEntry *) Yap_AllocAtomSpace(sizeof(*p));
   p->KindOfPE = ArrayProperty;
-  p->NextOfPE = ae->PropsOfAE;
+  AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)p);
   INIT_RWLOCK(p->ArRWLock);
-  ae->PropsOfAE = AbsArrayProp(p);
 #if THREADS
   p->owner_id = worker_id;
 #endif
@@ -629,15 +628,14 @@ CreateStaticArray(AtomEntry *ae, Int dim, static_array_types type, CODEADDR star
       }
     }
     p->KindOfPE = ArrayProperty;
-    p->NextOfPE = ae->PropsOfAE;
     INIT_RWLOCK(p->ArRWLock);
+    AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)p);
     p->NextAE = LOCAL_StaticArrays;
     LOCAL_StaticArrays = p;
   }
   WRITE_LOCK(p->ArRWLock);
   p->ArrayEArity = -dim;
   p->ArrayType = type;
-  ae->PropsOfAE = AbsArrayProp((ArrayEntry *)p);
   if (start_addr == NULL) {
     int i;
 
diff --git a/C/bb.c b/C/bb.c
index 38356f55d..a42034fba 100644
--- a/C/bb.c
+++ b/C/bb.c
@@ -43,8 +43,7 @@ PutBBProp(AtomEntry *ae, Term mod USES_REGS)		/* get BBentry for at; */
       Yap_Error(OUT_OF_HEAP_ERROR,ARG1,"could not allocate space in bb_put/2");
       return(NULL);
     }
-    p->NextOfPE = ae->PropsOfAE;
-    ae->PropsOfAE = AbsBBProp(p);
+    AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)p);
     p->ModuleOfBB = mod;
     p->Element = 0L;
     p->KeyOfBB = AbsAtom(ae);
diff --git a/C/dbase.c b/C/dbase.c
index 7b473b8a1..a755c2d54 100755
--- a/C/dbase.c
+++ b/C/dbase.c
@@ -2896,8 +2896,7 @@ FetchDBPropFromKey(Term twork, int flag, int new, char *error_mssg)
 	p->FunctorOfDB = (Functor) At;
       else
 	p->FunctorOfDB = Yap_UnlockedMkFunctor(ae,arity);
-      p->NextOfPE = ae->PropsOfAE;
-      ae->PropsOfAE = AbsDBProp(p);
+      AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)p);
     }
     WRITE_UNLOCK(ae->ARWLock);
     return
diff --git a/C/globals.c b/C/globals.c
index 5c2851796..07769bdf5 100644
--- a/C/globals.c
+++ b/C/globals.c
@@ -858,8 +858,7 @@ GetGlobalEntry(Atom at USES_REGS)
   new->NextGE = LOCAL_GlobalVariables;
   LOCAL_GlobalVariables = new;
   new->AtomOfGE = ae;
-  new->NextOfPE = ae->PropsOfAE;
-  ae->PropsOfAE = AbsGlobalProp(new);
+  AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)new);
   RESET_VARIABLE(&new->global);
   WRITE_UNLOCK(ae->ARWLock);
   return new;
diff --git a/C/init.c b/C/init.c
index 95336e9d6..2daa79290 100755
--- a/C/init.c
+++ b/C/init.c
@@ -151,14 +151,13 @@ OpDec(int p, char *type, Atom a, Term m)
   if (EndOfPAEntr(info)) {
     info = (OpEntry *) Yap_AllocAtomSpace(sizeof(OpEntry));
     info->KindOfPE = Ord(OpProperty);
-    info->NextOfPE = RepAtom(a)->PropsOfAE;
     info->OpModule = m;
     info->OpName = a;
     LOCK(OpListLock);
     info->OpNext = OpList;
     OpList = info;
     UNLOCK(OpListLock);
-    RepAtom(a)->PropsOfAE = AbsOpProp(info);
+    AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)info);
     INIT_RWLOCK(info->OpRWLock);
     WRITE_LOCK(info->OpRWLock);
     WRITE_UNLOCK(ae->ARWLock);
diff --git a/C/modules.c b/C/modules.c
index d588b5914..0c9e64b16 100644
--- a/C/modules.c
+++ b/C/modules.c
@@ -72,8 +72,7 @@ GetModuleEntry(Atom at)
   new->NextME = CurrentModules;
   CurrentModules = new;
   new->AtomOfME = ae;
-  new->NextOfPE = ae->PropsOfAE;
-  ae->PropsOfAE = AbsModProp(new);
+  AddPropToAtom(ae, (PropEntry *)new);
   return new;
 }
 
diff --git a/H/Yatom.h b/H/Yatom.h
index f79e1bb78..dbdb1d78c 100755
--- a/H/Yatom.h
+++ b/H/Yatom.h
@@ -1608,3 +1608,15 @@ PredPropByAtom (Atom at, Term cur_mod)
 
 #endif
 
+static inline void
+AddPropToAtom(AtomEntry *ae, PropEntry *p)
+{
+  if (ae->PropsOfAE != NIL) {
+    PropEntry *pp = RepProp(ae->PropsOfAE);    
+    p->NextOfPE = pp->NextOfPE;
+    pp->NextOfPE = AbsProp( p);
+  } else {
+    p->NextOfPE = ae->PropsOfAE;
+    ae->PropsOfAE = AbsProp(p);
+  }
+}