Power overshoot is a common anomaly in MFCs that has been linked to measurements that are obtained from electroactive biofilms (EABs) that have not stabilized to new conditions during polarization tests. This overshoot (referred to as "type D") is characterized by tandem reductions in power and current when moving from low to high current densities in the power density curves and is usually, but not exclusively, observed on the high current density side after the maximum power peak. The presence of overshoot often correlates with underestimation of power and current outputs at some positions on the power density curve. A different type of overshoot (referred to as "type M") occurs when polarization tests are conducted too rapidly and results in artificially high power outputs. No matter the type, overshoot is understood to inhibit accurate evaluations of maximum power. Overshoot can be reversibly triggered in wellperforming MFCs by exposure to low nutrient concentrations, low ionic strengths, weak buffers or low pH values, but in some underperforming MFCs, chronic overshoot can persist even during exposure to ideal nutrient medium conditions. Little is known about the origins of this behaviour, and authors often refer to such MFCs as "unhealthy". The role of convection in overcoming diffusion limitations in nutrient delivery is usually not considered an important factor because chronic overshoot can persist under stirring. Other than some interesting systems-level control routines, the most generalized experimental strategy for dealing with overshoot is to acclimate the MFC to high current prior to a standard polarization test. This approach (termed pre-acclimation) provides time for the EAB to adapt, but it is not clear by which mechanism(s) the measured performance is improved or why the effect is only temporary. In considering this question, a focus should be placed on the measurement methodology. Whether carried out by switching external resistors or linear sweep voltammetry, polarization tests are not always straightforward for MFCs because the time required to reach stable behaviour may be too long relative to the experiment, especially under the influence of certain EAB health states, which can result in some anomalies in power density curves. Because the measurement process itself continuously perturbs the EAB away from steady state, the result may be a slow approach to a long-term stability based on biological adaptation (gene transcription, growth, etc.). As such, measurements collected with standard polarization tests, which range from minutes to hours per external resistor, may not be representative of long-term operation. Thus we arrive at the problem of untangling the inherent performance of the MFC from the influence of the polarization measurement.