The initial stages of GaAs overgrowth over self-assembled coherently strained InAs quantum dots (QDs) are studied. For small GaAs coverages (below 5 nm), atomic force microscopy (AFM) images show partially covered island structures with a regular size distribution which are elongated in the [011] direction. Analysis of the AFM profiles show that a large anisotropic redistribution of the island material is taking place during the initial GaAs overgrowth. Short time annealing experiments together with photoluminescence spectroscopy on annealed QDs are consistent with a Ga and In intermixing during the overgrowth. Surface QDs capped with 5 nm or more GaAs show a strong luminescence intensity indicating that surface QDs are remarkably insensitive to surface recombination effects. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.