diff --git a/examples/parameter_example.yml b/examples/parameter_example.yml
index 1219509296dbda6e6896ebd018ad0c73cf508b86..aabf9ac1078ad41288f1011d7bfe94626deefce3 100644
--- a/examples/parameter_example.yml
+++ b/examples/parameter_example.yml
@@ -48,6 +48,13 @@ SPH:
   diffusion_alpha_max:   1.0      # (Optional) Override the maximal thermal diffusion coefficient that is allowed for a given particle.
   diffusion_alpha_min:   0.0      # (Optional) Override the minimal thermal diffusion coefficient that is allowed for a given particle.
 
+# Parameters of the stars neighbour search
+Stars:
+  resolution_eta:       1.2348   # (Optional) Target smoothing length in units of the mean inter-particle separation (1.2348 == 48Ngbs with the cubic spline kernel). Defaults to the SPH value.
+  h_tolerance:          1e-4     # (Optional) Relative accuracy of the Netwon-Raphson scheme for the smoothing lengths. Defaults to the SPH value.
+  max_ghost_iterations: 30       # (Optional) Maximal number of iterations allowed to converge towards the smoothing length. Defaults to the SPH value.
+  max_volume_change:    1.4      # (Optional) Maximal allowed change of kernel volume over one time-step. Defaults to the SPH value.
+  birth_time:           -1       # (Optional) Initial birth time of *all* the stars. If not -1, this value will overwrite all the values read from the ICs.
 
 # Parameters for the self-gravity scheme
 Gravity:
diff --git a/src/stars/EAGLE/stars.h b/src/stars/EAGLE/stars.h
index 09926d6a8bdd5af4eff120a9a6c57d15eb7e49c4..f102ddb22c0075d33b02c726d0447b64fa9d3df7 100644
--- a/src/stars/EAGLE/stars.h
+++ b/src/stars/EAGLE/stars.h
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ __attribute__((always_inline)) INLINE static void stars_first_init_spart(
   sp->time_bin = 0;
   sp->birth_density = 0.f;
   sp->f_E = -1.f;
-  sp->birth_time = stars_properties->spart_first_init_birth_time;
+  if (stars_properties->spart_first_init_birth_time != -1.f)
+    sp->birth_time = stars_properties->spart_first_init_birth_time;
 
   stars_init_spart(sp);
 }
diff --git a/src/stars/EAGLE/stars_io.h b/src/stars/EAGLE/stars_io.h
index b67c57078796a4be3d34d828884cedcff808614e..b91b5cf94595a05acd280cfd4f51755f91cce04d 100644
--- a/src/stars/EAGLE/stars_io.h
+++ b/src/stars/EAGLE/stars_io.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ INLINE static void stars_read_particles(struct spart *sparts,
                                         int *num_fields) {
 
   /* Say how much we want to read */
-  *num_fields = 6;
+  *num_fields = 7;
 
   /* List what we want to read */
   list[0] = io_make_input_field("Coordinates", DOUBLE, 3, COMPULSORY,
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ INLINE static void stars_read_particles(struct spart *sparts,
                                 UNIT_CONV_LENGTH, sparts, h);
   list[5] = io_make_input_field("Masses", FLOAT, 1, COMPULSORY, UNIT_CONV_MASS,
                                 sparts, mass_init);
+  list[6] = io_make_input_field("StellarFormationTime", FLOAT, 1, OPTIONAL,
+                                UNIT_CONV_NO_UNITS, sparts, birth_time);
 }
 
 INLINE static void convert_spart_pos(const struct engine *e,
@@ -218,7 +220,7 @@ INLINE static void stars_props_init(struct stars_props *sp,
   /* Read birth time to set all stars in ICs to (defaults to -1 to indicate star
    * present in ICs) */
   sp->spart_first_init_birth_time =
-      parser_get_opt_param_float(params, "Stars:birth_time", -1);
+      parser_get_opt_param_float(params, "Stars:birth_time", -1.f);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/stars/EAGLE/stars_part.h b/src/stars/EAGLE/stars_part.h
index bed54bb175026ae930668fb102dcfef9c9af76d7..4502b10edb7b646e9ba845e1ffffbb9255cdc01c 100644
--- a/src/stars/EAGLE/stars_part.h
+++ b/src/stars/EAGLE/stars_part.h
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ struct stars_props {
   /*! Maximal change of h over one time-step */
   float log_max_h_change;
 
-  /*! Value to set birth time of stars read from ICs */
+  /*! Value to set birth time of stars read from ICs if not set to -1 */
   float spart_first_init_birth_time;
 };