diff --git a/flang-rt/lib/runtime/unit.cpp b/flang-rt/lib/runtime/unit.cpp
index da3783417f234..549fbeaca05b3 100644
--- a/flang-rt/lib/runtime/unit.cpp
+++ b/flang-rt/lib/runtime/unit.cpp
@@ -827,6 +827,7 @@ ChildIo &ExternalFileUnit::PushChildIo(IoStatementState &parent) {
   Terminator &terminator{parent.GetIoErrorHandler()};
   OwningPtr<ChildIo> next{New<ChildIo>{terminator}(parent, std::move(current))};
   child_.reset(next.release());
+  leftTabLimit = positionInRecord;
   return *child_;
 }