diff --git a/cicecore/drivers/nuopc/cmeps/ice_comp_nuopc.F90 b/cicecore/drivers/nuopc/cmeps/ice_comp_nuopc.F90
index cd4d8fb1c..7f9e266c2 100644
--- a/cicecore/drivers/nuopc/cmeps/ice_comp_nuopc.F90
+++ b/cicecore/drivers/nuopc/cmeps/ice_comp_nuopc.F90
@@ -809,7 +809,7 @@ subroutine InitializeRealize(gcomp, importState, exportState, clock, rc)
        if (ref_ymd /= start_ymd .or. ref_tod /= start_tod) then
           if (my_task == master_task) then
              write(nu_diag,*) trim(subname),': ref_ymd ',ref_ymd, ' must equal start_ymd ',start_ymd
-             write(nu_diag,*) trim(subname),': ref_ymd ',ref_tod, ' must equal start_tod ',start_tod
+             write(nu_diag,*) trim(subname),': ref_tod',ref_tod, ' must equal start_tod ',start_tod
           end if
        end if