diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_todynamics.F b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_todynamics.F
index 8bf7279e75..29fb2780b5 100755
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_todynamics.F
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_todynamics.F
@@ -235,6 +235,7 @@ subroutine physics_get_tend( block, mesh, state, diag, tend, tend_physics, confi
  do i = 1, nEdgesScalar+1
  do k = 1, nVertLevels
     tend_ru_physics(k,i) = 0._RKIND
+    tend_u_phys(k,i) = 0._RKIND
  enddo
  enddo
 !$acc loop gang vector collapse(3)