diff --git a/physics/Interstitials/UFS_SCM_NEPTUNE/GFS_phys_time_vary.fv3.F90 b/physics/Interstitials/UFS_SCM_NEPTUNE/GFS_phys_time_vary.fv3.F90
index ca21e914c..e4a98af1a 100644
--- a/physics/Interstitials/UFS_SCM_NEPTUNE/GFS_phys_time_vary.fv3.F90
+++ b/physics/Interstitials/UFS_SCM_NEPTUNE/GFS_phys_time_vary.fv3.F90
@@ -866,10 +866,10 @@ subroutine GFS_phys_time_vary_timestep_init (
          jday = 0
          call w3doxdat(jdat,jdow,jdoy,jday)
          rjday = jdoy + jdat(5) / 24.
-         if (rjday < ozphys%time(1)) rjday = rjday + 365.
 
 !> - Update ozone concentration.
          if (ntoz > 0) then
+            if (rjday < ozphys%time(1)) rjday = rjday + 365.
             call find_photochem_time_index(ozphys%ntime, ozphys%time, rjday, n1, n2)
 
             call ozphys%update_o3prog(jindx1_o3, jindx2_o3, ddy_o3, rjday, n1, n2, ozpl)
@@ -877,6 +877,7 @@ subroutine GFS_phys_time_vary_timestep_init (
 
 !> - Update stratospheric h2o concentration.
          if (h2o_phys) then
+            if (rjday < h2ophys%time(1)) rjday = rjday + 365.
             call find_photochem_time_index(h2ophys%ntime, h2ophys%time, rjday, n1, n2)
 
             call h2ophys%update(jindx1_h, jindx2_h, ddy_h, rjday, n1, n2, h2opl)
diff --git a/physics/Interstitials/UFS_SCM_NEPTUNE/gcycle.F90 b/physics/Interstitials/UFS_SCM_NEPTUNE/gcycle.F90
index 329121359..f81724400 100644
--- a/physics/Interstitials/UFS_SCM_NEPTUNE/gcycle.F90
+++ b/physics/Interstitials/UFS_SCM_NEPTUNE/gcycle.F90
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ subroutine gcycle (me, nthrds, nx, ny, isc, jsc, nsst, tile_num, nlunit, fn_nml,
       inquire (file=trim(fn_nml),exist=exists)
       if (.not. exists) then
         errflg = 1
-        errmsg = 'ERROR(gcycle): namelist file: ',trim(fn_nml),' does not exist.'
+        errmsg = 'ERROR(gcycle): namelist file: '//trim(fn_nml)//' does not exist.'
         return
       else
         open (unit=nlunit, file=trim(fn_nml), action='READ', status='OLD', iostat=ios)