diff --git a/src/pcp/atop/various.c b/src/pcp/atop/various.c
index 7949bc1..6da8a02 100644
--- a/src/pcp/atop/various.c
+++ b/src/pcp/atop/various.c
@@ -815,7 +815,19 @@ fetch_metrics(const char *purpose, int nmetrics, pmID *pmids, pmResult **result)
 {
 	int	sts;
 
-	pmSetMode(fetchmode, &curtime, fetchstep);
+	if ((fetchmode &__PM_MODE_MASK) != PM_MODE_LIVE && strcmp(purpose, "host") == 0) {
+	    /*
+	     * When reading from an archive, and fetching the host
+	     * metrics, don't use interpolate mode and start at the
+	     * beginning of the archive ... these metrics are only
+	     * likely to be logged once and near the start of the
+	     * archive.
+	     */
+	    struct timeval epoch = { 0, 0 };
+	    pmSetMode(PM_MODE_FORW, &epoch, 0);
+	}
+	else
+	    pmSetMode(fetchmode, &curtime, fetchstep);
 	if ((sts = pmFetch(nmetrics, pmids, result)) < 0)
 	{
 		if (sts != PM_ERR_EOL)