diff --git a/src/Components/GEOSldas_GridComp/GEOSlandpert_GridComp/GEOS_LandPertGridComp.F90 b/src/Components/GEOSldas_GridComp/GEOSlandpert_GridComp/GEOS_LandPertGridComp.F90
index 26074818..d90eafca 100644
--- a/src/Components/GEOSldas_GridComp/GEOSlandpert_GridComp/GEOS_LandPertGridComp.F90
+++ b/src/Components/GEOSldas_GridComp/GEOSlandpert_GridComp/GEOS_LandPertGridComp.F90
@@ -2010,7 +2010,7 @@ subroutine ApplyForcePert(gc, import, export, clock, rc)
                    mfPert(itile)%PARdrct = tmpRealArrDim1(1)
                    tmpRealArrDim1(1) = mfPert(itile)%PARdffs
                    call apply_pert(PertParam, [FORCEPERT(itile,ipert)], tmpRealArrDim1)
-                   mfPert(itile)%PARdrct = tmpRealArrDim1(1)
+                   mfPert(itile)%PARdffs = tmpRealArrDim1(1)         ! bug fix, rreichle+qliu, May 2019
                 end if
              end do
              call repair_forcing(land_nt_local, mfPert, fieldname='SWnet')