diff --git a/Source/Particles/MultiParticleContainer.cpp b/Source/Particles/MultiParticleContainer.cpp
index a1ea7533bc6..1dbcf242acd 100644
--- a/Source/Particles/MultiParticleContainer.cpp
+++ b/Source/Particles/MultiParticleContainer.cpp
@@ -422,12 +422,12 @@ MultiParticleContainer::InitData ()
 void
 MultiParticleContainer::PostRestart ()
 {
-    InitMultiPhysicsModules(); // TODO: move down?
-
     for (auto& pc : allcontainers) {
         pc->PostRestart();
     }
     pc_tmp->PostRestart();
+
+    InitMultiPhysicsModules();
 }
 
 void
@@ -443,8 +443,8 @@ MultiParticleContainer::InitMultiPhysicsModules ()
     mapSpeciesProduct();
     CheckIonizationProductSpecies();
 #ifdef WARPX_QED
-    CheckQEDProductSpecies();
     InitQED();
+    CheckQEDProductSpecies();
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/Particles/PhotonParticleContainer.cpp b/Source/Particles/PhotonParticleContainer.cpp
index 4160864eb15..813670e0643 100644
--- a/Source/Particles/PhotonParticleContainer.cpp
+++ b/Source/Particles/PhotonParticleContainer.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  */
 #include "PhotonParticleContainer.H"
 
+#include "Particles/SpeciesPhysicalProperties.H"
 #ifdef WARPX_QED
 #   include "Particles/ElementaryProcess/QEDInternals/BreitWheelerEngineWrapper.H"
 #endif
@@ -47,6 +48,12 @@ PhotonParticleContainer::PhotonParticleContainer (AmrCore* amr_core,
                                                   const std::string& name)
     : PhysicalParticleContainer(amr_core, name)
 {
+    // this is a physical photon
+    physical_species = PhysicalSpecies::photon;
+    charge = species::get_charge( physical_species );
+    mass = species::get_mass( physical_species );
+
+    // other properties and methods, e.g., QED
     const ParmParse pp_species_name(species_name);
 
 #ifdef WARPX_QED
@@ -56,6 +63,7 @@ PhotonParticleContainer::PhotonParticleContainer (AmrCore* amr_core,
         //If Breit Wheeler process is enabled, look for the target electron and positron
         //species
         if(m_do_qed_breit_wheeler){
+            AddRealComp("opticalDepthBW");
             pp_species_name.get("qed_breit_wheeler_ele_product_species", m_qed_breit_wheeler_ele_product_name);
             pp_species_name.get("qed_breit_wheeler_pos_product_species", m_qed_breit_wheeler_pos_product_name);
         }
@@ -73,6 +81,8 @@ PhotonParticleContainer::PhotonParticleContainer (AmrCore* amr_core,
 
 void PhotonParticleContainer::InitData()
 {
+    PhysicalParticleContainer::InitData();
+
     AddParticles(0); // Note - add on level 0
 
     Redistribute();  // We then redistribute
diff --git a/Source/Particles/PhysicalParticleContainer.cpp b/Source/Particles/PhysicalParticleContainer.cpp
index e536fb30519..6cb26a7cfea 100644
--- a/Source/Particles/PhysicalParticleContainer.cpp
+++ b/Source/Particles/PhysicalParticleContainer.cpp
@@ -251,6 +251,21 @@ PhysicalParticleContainer::PhysicalParticleContainer (AmrCore* amr_core,
       species_name(name)
 {
     BackwardCompatibility();
+
+#ifdef WARPX_QED
+    if (!species_name.empty()) {  // TODO: remove this if once pc_tmp is removed from WarpX
+        const ParmParse pp_species_name(species_name);
+        pp_species_name.query("do_qed_quantum_sync", m_do_qed_quantum_sync);
+        if (m_do_qed_quantum_sync) {
+            AddRealComp("opticalDepthQSR");
+        }
+
+        if (m_do_qed_quantum_sync) {
+            pp_species_name.get("qed_quantum_sync_phot_product_species",
+                                m_qed_quantum_sync_phot_product_name);
+        }
+    }
+#endif
 }
 
 PhysicalParticleContainer::PhysicalParticleContainer (AmrCore* amr_core)
@@ -400,23 +415,6 @@ void PhysicalParticleContainer::InitData ()
         "Radiation reaction can be enabled only if Boris pusher is used");
     //_____________________________
 
-#ifdef WARPX_QED
-    pp_species_name.query("do_qed_quantum_sync", m_do_qed_quantum_sync);
-    if (m_do_qed_quantum_sync) {
-        AddRealComp("opticalDepthQSR");
-    }
-
-    pp_species_name.query("do_qed_breit_wheeler", m_do_qed_breit_wheeler);
-    if (m_do_qed_breit_wheeler) {
-        AddRealComp("opticalDepthBW");
-    }
-
-    if(m_do_qed_quantum_sync){
-        pp_species_name.get("qed_quantum_sync_phot_product_species",
-            m_qed_quantum_sync_phot_product_name);
-    }
-#endif
-
     // User-defined integer attributes
     pp_species_name.queryarr("addIntegerAttributes", m_user_int_attribs);
     const auto n_user_int_attribs = static_cast<int>(m_user_int_attribs.size());
diff --git a/Source/Particles/RigidInjectedParticleContainer.cpp b/Source/Particles/RigidInjectedParticleContainer.cpp
index bc16fa473f1..3b45c1ba55f 100644
--- a/Source/Particles/RigidInjectedParticleContainer.cpp
+++ b/Source/Particles/RigidInjectedParticleContainer.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ RigidInjectedParticleContainer::RigidInjectedParticleContainer (AmrCore* amr_cor
 
 void RigidInjectedParticleContainer::InitData()
 {
+    PhysicalParticleContainer::InitData();
+
     // Perform Lorentz transform of `z_inject_plane`
     const amrex::Real t_boost = WarpX::GetInstance().gett_new(0);
     const amrex::Real zinject_plane_boost = zinject_plane/WarpX::gamma_boost