diff --git a/gp/ea/mu_plus_lambda.py b/gp/ea/mu_plus_lambda.py
index df3e880c..afe2dd51 100644
--- a/gp/ea/mu_plus_lambda.py
+++ b/gp/ea/mu_plus_lambda.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ def __init__(
         tournament_size: int,
         *,
         n_processes: int = 1,
-        local_search: Callable[[List[Individual]], None] = lambda combined: None
+        local_search: Callable[[Individual], None] = lambda combined: None
     ):
         """Init function
 
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def __init__(
         n_processes : int, optional
             Number of parallel processes to be used. If greater than 1,
             parallel evaluation of the objective is supported. Defaults to 1.
-        local_search : Callable[[List[gp.Individua]], None], optional
+        local_search : Callable[[Individua], None], optional
             Called before each fitness evaluation with a joint list of
             offsprings and parents to optimize numeric leaf values of
             the graph. Defaults to identity function.
@@ -106,7 +106,8 @@ def step(self, pop: Population, objective: Callable[[Individual], Individual]) -
         # population instead of the other way around
         combined = offsprings + pop.parents
 
-        self.local_search(combined)
+        for ind in combined:
+            self.local_search(ind)
 
         combined = self._compute_fitness(combined, objective)
 
diff --git a/gp/local_search/gradient_based.py b/gp/local_search/gradient_based.py
index c2b5792a..10e4f4d1 100644
--- a/gp/local_search/gradient_based.py
+++ b/gp/local_search/gradient_based.py
@@ -8,28 +8,28 @@
 except ModuleNotFoundError:
     torch_available = False
 
-from typing import Callable, List, Optional
+from typing import Callable, Optional
 
 
 from ..individual import Individual  # noqa: F401
 
 
 def gradient_based(
-    individuals: List[Individual],
+    individual: Individual,
     objective: Callable[[torch.nn.Module], torch.Tensor],
     lr: float,
     gradient_steps: int,
     optimizer: Optional[Optimizer] = None,
     clip_value: Optional[float] = None,
 ) -> None:
-    """Perform a local search for numeric leaf values for the list of
-    individuals based on gradient information obtained via automatic
+    """Perform a local search for numeric leaf values for an individual
+    based on gradient information obtained via automatic
     differentiation.
 
     Parameters
     ----------
-    individuals : List
-        List of individuals for which to perform local search.
+    individual : Individual
+        Individual for which to perform local search.
     objective : Callable
         Objective function that is called with a differentiable graph
         and returns a differentiable loss.
@@ -55,23 +55,22 @@ def gradient_based(
     if clip_value is None:
         clip_value = 0.1 * 1.0 / lr
 
-    for ind in individuals:
-        f = ind.to_torch()
+    f = individual.to_torch()
 
-        if len(list(f.parameters())) > 0:
-            optimizer = optimizer_class(f.parameters(), lr=lr)
+    if len(list(f.parameters())) > 0:
+        optimizer = optimizer_class(f.parameters(), lr=lr)
 
-            for i in range(gradient_steps):
-                loss = objective(f)
-                if not torch.isfinite(loss):
-                    continue
+        for i in range(gradient_steps):
+            loss = objective(f)
+            if not torch.isfinite(loss):
+                continue
 
-                f.zero_grad()
-                loss.backward()
-                if clip_value is not np.inf:
-                    torch.nn.utils.clip_grad.clip_grad_value_(f.parameters(), clip_value)
-                optimizer.step()
+            f.zero_grad()
+            loss.backward()
+            if clip_value is not np.inf:
+                torch.nn.utils.clip_grad.clip_grad_value_(f.parameters(), clip_value)
+            optimizer.step()
 
-                assert all(torch.isfinite(t) for t in f.parameters())
+            assert all(torch.isfinite(t) for t in f.parameters())
 
-            ind.update_parameters_from_torch_class(f)
+        individual.update_parameters_from_torch_class(f)
diff --git a/test/test_local_search.py b/test/test_local_search.py
index 0b4feb19..5ccfa955 100644
--- a/test/test_local_search.py
+++ b/test/test_local_search.py
@@ -20,15 +20,15 @@ def objective(f):
 
     # test increase parameter value if too small
     ind.parameter_names_to_values["<p1>"] = 0.9
-    gp.local_search.gradient_based([ind], objective, 0.05, 1)
+    gp.local_search.gradient_based(ind, objective, 0.05, 1)
     assert ind.parameter_names_to_values["<p1>"] == pytest.approx(0.91)
 
     # test decrease parameter value if too large
     ind.parameter_names_to_values["<p1>"] = 1.1
-    gp.local_search.gradient_based([ind], objective, 0.05, 1)
+    gp.local_search.gradient_based(ind, objective, 0.05, 1)
     assert ind.parameter_names_to_values["<p1>"] == pytest.approx(1.09)
 
     # test no change of parameter value if at optimum
     ind.parameter_names_to_values["<p1>"] = 1.0
-    gp.local_search.gradient_based([ind], objective, 0.05, 1)
+    gp.local_search.gradient_based(ind, objective, 0.05, 1)
     assert ind.parameter_names_to_values["<p1>"] == pytest.approx(1.0)