diff --git a/ush/forecast_det.sh b/ush/forecast_det.sh
index 0518f97913c..c2b8a1a45a6 100755
--- a/ush/forecast_det.sh
+++ b/ush/forecast_det.sh
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ FV3_GFS_det(){
   #-------------------------------------------------------
   # determine if restart IC exists to continue from a previous forecast
   RERUN="NO"
+  filecount=0
   [[ ${CDUMP} = "gfs" ]] && filecount=$(find "${RSTDIR_ATM}" -type f | wc -l)
   if [ ${CDUMP} = "gfs" -a ${rst_invt1} -gt 0 -a ${FHMAX} -gt ${rst_invt1} -a ${filecount} -gt 10 ]; then
     reverse=$(echo "${restart_interval[@]} " | tac -s ' ')