diff --git a/cicecore/cicedyn/general/ice_flux.F90 b/cicecore/cicedyn/general/ice_flux.F90
index f1c6c3be6..6378db6eb 100644
--- a/cicecore/cicedyn/general/ice_flux.F90
+++ b/cicecore/cicedyn/general/ice_flux.F90
@@ -1209,7 +1209,7 @@ subroutine scale_fluxes (nx_block, ny_block, &
       real (kind=dbl_kind) :: &
           ar, &   ! 1/aice
           stefan_boltzmann, &
-          Tffresh
+          Tffresh, puny
 
       integer (kind=int_kind) :: &
           i, j    ! horizontal indices
@@ -1217,7 +1217,7 @@ subroutine scale_fluxes (nx_block, ny_block, &
       character(len=*), parameter :: subname = '(scale_fluxes)'
 
       call icepack_query_parameters(stefan_boltzmann_out=stefan_boltzmann, &
-         Tffresh_out=Tffresh)
+         Tffresh_out=Tffresh, puny_out=puny)
       call icepack_warnings_flush(nu_diag)
       if (icepack_warnings_aborted()) call abort_ice(error_message=subname, &
          file=__FILE__, line=__LINE__)
@@ -1231,6 +1231,9 @@ subroutine scale_fluxes (nx_block, ny_block, &
             fsens   (i,j) = fsens   (i,j) * ar
             flat    (i,j) = flat    (i,j) * ar
             fswabs  (i,j) = fswabs  (i,j) * ar
+            ! Special case where aice_init was zero and aice > 0.
+            if (flwout(i,j) > -puny) & 
+               flwout  (i,j) = -stefan_boltzmann *(Tf(i,j) + Tffresh)**4
             flwout  (i,j) = flwout  (i,j) * ar
             evap    (i,j) = evap    (i,j) * ar
             Tref    (i,j) = Tref    (i,j) * ar