diff --git a/components/mosart/src/riverroute/RtmMod.F90 b/components/mosart/src/riverroute/RtmMod.F90
index cb21caf02bdc..a2c0b6b2cbc0 100644
--- a/components/mosart/src/riverroute/RtmMod.F90
+++ b/components/mosart/src/riverroute/RtmMod.F90
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ module RtmMod
   logical :: do_rtm
 
   character(len=256) :: nlfilename_rof = 'mosart_in' 
+  real(r8), save :: delt_save             ! previous delt 
 !
 !EOP
 !-----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1372,6 +1373,7 @@ subroutine Rtmini(rtm_active,flood_active)
 
     if (masterproc) write(iulog,*) subname,' done'
     if (masterproc) call shr_sys_flush(iulog)
+    delt_save = 0.0
 
     call t_stopf('mosarti_histinit')
 
@@ -1424,7 +1426,6 @@ subroutine Rtmrun(rstwr,nlend,rdate)
     real(r8) :: delt                        ! delt associated with subcycling
     real(r8) :: delt_coupling               ! real value of coupling_period
     integer , save :: nsub_save             ! previous nsub
-    real(r8), save :: delt_save             ! previous delt
     logical , save :: first_call = .true.   ! first time flag (for backwards compatibility)
     character(len=256) :: filer             ! restart file name
     integer  :: cnt                         ! counter for gridcells