diff --git a/physics/GFS_surface_composites.F90 b/physics/GFS_surface_composites.F90
index cd5f3db11..9636eb384 100644
--- a/physics/GFS_surface_composites.F90
+++ b/physics/GFS_surface_composites.F90
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ subroutine GFS_surface_composites_pre_run (im, frac_grid, flag_cice, cplflx, lan
             if (cice(i) < one) then
               wet(i) = .true.
   !           tsfco(i) = tgice
-              tsfco(i) = max(tisfc(i), tgice)
+              if (.not. cplflx) tsfco(i) = max(tisfc(i), tgice)
   !           tsfco(i) = max((tsfc(i) - cice(i)*tisfc(i)) &
   !                                     / (one - cice(i)), tgice)
             endif