diff --git a/src/elements/ChrDrift.H b/src/elements/ChrDrift.H
index ee3d1b524..47bff6b12 100644
--- a/src/elements/ChrDrift.H
+++ b/src/elements/ChrDrift.H
@@ -74,6 +74,29 @@ namespace impactx::elements
         /** Push all particles */
         using BeamOptic::operator();
 
+        /** Compute and cache the constants for the push.
+         *
+         * In particular, used to pre-compute and cache variables that are
+         * independent of the individually tracked particle.
+         *
+         * @param refpart reference particle
+         */
+        void compute_constants (RefPart const & refpart)
+        {
+            using namespace amrex::literals; // for _rt and _prt
+
+            Alignment::compute_constants(refpart);
+
+            // length of the current slice
+            m_slice_ds = m_ds / nslice();
+
+            // access reference particle values to find beta, gamma
+            m_beta = refpart.beta();
+            m_gamma = refpart.gamma();
+
+            m_const1 = 1_prt / (2_prt * std::pow(m_beta,3) * std::pow(m_gamma, 2));
+        }
+
         /** This is a chrdrift functor, so that a variable of this type can be used like a chrdrift function.
          *
          * @param x particle position in x
@@ -83,7 +106,7 @@ namespace impactx::elements
          * @param py particle momentum in y
          * @param pt particle momentum in t
          * @param idcpu particle global index
-         * @param refpart reference particle
+         * @param refpart reference particle (unused)
          */
         AMREX_GPU_HOST_DEVICE AMREX_FORCE_INLINE
         void operator() (
@@ -94,7 +117,7 @@ namespace impactx::elements
             amrex::ParticleReal & AMREX_RESTRICT py,
             amrex::ParticleReal & AMREX_RESTRICT pt,
             uint64_t & AMREX_RESTRICT idcpu,
-            RefPart const & refpart
+            [[maybe_unused]] RefPart const & refpart
         ) const
         {
             using namespace amrex::literals; // for _rt and _prt
@@ -112,30 +135,22 @@ namespace impactx::elements
             amrex::ParticleReal const pyout = py;
             amrex::ParticleReal const ptout = pt;
 
-            // length of the current slice
-            amrex::ParticleReal const slice_ds = m_ds / nslice();
-
-            // access reference particle values to find beta, gamma
-            amrex::ParticleReal const bet = refpart.beta();
-            amrex::ParticleReal const gam = refpart.gamma();
-
             // compute particle momentum deviation delta + 1
-            amrex::ParticleReal delta1;
-            delta1 = std::sqrt(1_prt - 2_prt*pt/bet + std::pow(pt,2));
+            amrex::ParticleReal const idelta1 = 1_prt / std::sqrt(1_prt - 2_prt*pt/m_beta + std::pow(pt,2));
 
             // advance transverse position and momentum (drift)
-            x = xout + slice_ds * px / delta1;
+            x = xout + m_slice_ds * px * idelta1;
             // pxout = px;
-            y = yout + slice_ds * py / delta1;
+            y = yout + m_slice_ds * py * idelta1;
             // pyout = py;
 
             // the corresponding symplectic update to t
             amrex::ParticleReal term = 2_prt * std::pow(pt,2) + std::pow(px,2) + std::pow(py,2);
-            term = 2_prt - 4_prt*bet*pt + std::pow(bet,2)*term;
-            term = -2_prt + std::pow(gam,2)*term;
-            term = (-1_prt+bet*pt)*term;
-            term = term/(2_prt * std::pow(bet,3) * std::pow(gam,2));
-            t = tout - slice_ds * (1_prt / bet + term /std::pow(delta1, 3));
+            term = 2_prt - 4_prt*m_beta*pt + std::pow(m_beta,2)*term;
+            term = -2_prt + std::pow(m_gamma, 2)*term;
+            term = (-1_prt+m_beta*pt)*term;
+            term = term * m_const1;
+            t = tout - m_slice_ds * (1_prt / m_beta + term * std::pow(idelta1, 3));
             // ptout = pt;
 
             // assign updated momenta
@@ -201,6 +216,14 @@ namespace impactx::elements
             throw std::runtime_error(std::string(type) + ": Envelope tracking is not yet implemented!");
             return Map6x6::Identity();
         }
+
+      private:
+        // constants that are independent of the individually tracked particle,
+        // see: compute_constants() to refresh
+        amrex::ParticleReal m_slice_ds;  //! m_ds / nslice();
+        amrex::ParticleReal m_beta;
+        amrex::ParticleReal m_gamma;
+        amrex::ParticleReal m_const1;
     };
 
 } // namespace impactx