diff --git a/cooler/_binning.py b/cooler/_binning.py
index 46d8bf45..4ecad5f4 100644
--- a/cooler/_binning.py
+++ b/cooler/_binning.py
@@ -386,9 +386,11 @@ def __init__(self, filepath, chromsizes, bins, map=map, n_chunks=1, is_one_based
             n_lines = f.get_linecount()
             max_chunk = int(100e6)
             n_chunks = n_lines // 2 // max_chunk
+            old_n = self.n_chunks
             self.n_chunks = max(self.n_chunks, n_chunks)
-            logger.info("Pairs file has {} lines. Increasing max-split to {}.".format(
-                n_lines, self.n_chunks))
+            if self.n_chunks > old_n:
+                logger.info("Pairs file has {} lines. Increasing max-split to {}.".format(
+                    n_lines, self.n_chunks))
         
         # all requested contigs will be placed in the output matrix
         self.gs = GenomeSegmentation(chromsizes, bins)
diff --git a/cooler/cli/cload.py b/cooler/cli/cload.py
index bc0be33e..d866fccf 100644
--- a/cooler/cli/cload.py
+++ b/cooler/cli/cload.py
@@ -203,7 +203,8 @@ def tabix(bins, pairs_path, cool_path, metadata, assembly, nproc, zero_based, ma
             opts['C2'] = kwargs['chrom2'] - 1
         if 'pos2' in kwargs:
             opts['P2'] = kwargs['pos2'] - 1
-        iterator = TabixAggregator(pairs_path, chromsizes, bins, map=map, zero_based=zero_based, n_chunks=max_split, **opts)
+        iterator = TabixAggregator(pairs_path, chromsizes, bins, map=map, 
+            is_one_based=(not zero_based), n_chunks=max_split, **opts)
         create(cool_path, bins, iterator, metadata, assembly)
     finally:
         if nproc > 1:
@@ -257,7 +258,8 @@ def pairix(bins, pairs_path, cool_path, metadata, assembly, nproc, zero_based, m
             map = pool.imap
         else:
             map = six.moves.map
-        iterator = PairixAggregator(pairs_path, chromsizes, bins, map=map, zero_based=zero_based, n_chunks=max_split)
+        iterator = PairixAggregator(pairs_path, chromsizes, bins, map=map, 
+            is_one_based=(not zero_based), n_chunks=max_split)
         create(cool_path, bins, iterator, metadata, assembly)
     finally:
         if nproc > 1: