An electrosurgical generator configured to provide electrical treatment energy to an instrument having an active electrode and a return electrode the generator comprising: a processor; and a memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the generator to: provide an indicated treatment energy to the instrument, the indicated treatment energy being set by a user and having a corresponding current limit; receive signals from the instrument over time relating to a load impedance between the active electrode and the return electrode of the instrument; determine based on the signals that the active electrode and the return electrode are currently shorted together and that, prior to the short, the instrument was grasping tissue between the active electrode and the return electrode; and based on the determination, reduce a current limit of treatment energy being provided to the instrument to below the corresponding current limit, wherein in the determination, the memory stores further instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the generator to determine that the instrument was grasping tissue and that the active electrode and the return electrode are currently shorted together based on the load impedance decreasing from above a threshold to below the threshold. a processor; and a memory having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the generator to: provide an indicated treatment energy to the instrument, the indicated treatment energy being set by a user and having a corresponding current limit; receive signals from the instrument over time relating to a load impedance between the active electrode and the return electrode of the instrument; determine based on the signals that the active electrode and the return electrode are currently shorted together and that, prior to the short, the instrument was grasping tissue between the active electrode and the return electrode; and based on the determination, reduce a current limit of treatment energy being provided to the instrument to below the corresponding current limit, wherein in the determination, the memory stores further instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the generator to determine that the instrument was grasping tissue and that the active electrode and the return electrode are currently shorted together based on the load impedance decreasing from above a threshold to below the threshold. provide an indicated treatment energy to the instrument, the indicated treatment energy being set by a user and having a corresponding current limit; receive signals from the instrument over time relating to a load impedance between the active electrode and the return electrode of the instrument; determine based on the signals that the active electrode and the return electrode are currently shorted together and that, prior to the short, the instrument was grasping tissue between the active electrode and the return electrode; and based on the determination, reduce a current limit of treatment energy being provided to the instrument to below the corresponding current limit, wherein in the determination, the memory stores further instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the generator to determine that the instrument was grasping tissue and that the active electrode and the return electrode are currently shorted together based on the load impedance decreasing from above a threshold to below the threshold.