Mass loss rate, Ṁ₁, during the first periastron passage as a function of time since apastron, in units of P_orb when the effects of tides and rotation on the donor’s structure are ignored (black, solid curve) or included (red, dotted curve). The red squares labelled (a) to (f) on the black curve indicate different moments in time, and correspond to the panels labelled (a) to (f) in Figs. 2 and 6. The inset shows the evolution of the timescale over which the mass transfer rate changes, for the non-distorted model.