diff --git a/src/initialization/MOM_state_initialization.F90 b/src/initialization/MOM_state_initialization.F90
index cd6ddbeca7..257d25dad0 100644
--- a/src/initialization/MOM_state_initialization.F90
+++ b/src/initialization/MOM_state_initialization.F90
@@ -2138,15 +2138,16 @@ subroutine initialize_sponges_file(G, GV, US, use_temperature, tv, u, v, depth_t
       endif
       ! The remaining calls to set_up_sponge_field can be in any order.
       if ( use_temperature) then
-        call set_up_ALE_sponge_field(filename, potemp_var, Time, G, GV, US, tv%T, ALE_CSp, scale=US%C_to_degC)
-        call set_up_ALE_sponge_field(filename, salin_var, Time, G, GV, US, tv%S, ALE_CSp, scale=US%S_to_ppt)
+        call set_up_ALE_sponge_field(filename, potemp_var, Time, G, GV, US, tv%T, ALE_CSp, scale=US%degC_to_C)
+        call set_up_ALE_sponge_field(filename, salin_var, Time, G, GV, US, tv%S, ALE_CSp, scale=US%ppt_to_S)
       endif
       if (sponge_uv) then
         filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(state_uv_file)
         call log_param(param_file, mdl, "INPUTDIR/SPONGE_STATE_UV_FILE", filename)
         if (.not.file_exists(filename, G%Domain)) &
              call MOM_error(FATAL, " initialize_sponges: Unable to open "//trim(filename))
-        call set_up_ALE_sponge_vel_field(filename, u_var, filename, v_var, Time, G, GV, US, ALE_CSp, u, v)
+        call set_up_ALE_sponge_vel_field(filename, u_var, filename, v_var, Time, G, GV, US, &
+                                         ALE_CSp, u, v, scale=US%m_s_to_L_T)
       endif
     endif
   endif