diff --git a/components/elm/src/data_types/ColumnDataType.F90 b/components/elm/src/data_types/ColumnDataType.F90
index 5971d4aa6af5..57388e7c3dc7 100644
--- a/components/elm/src/data_types/ColumnDataType.F90
+++ b/components/elm/src/data_types/ColumnDataType.F90
@@ -7403,6 +7403,8 @@ subroutine col_cf_setvalues ( this, num_column, filter_column, value_column)
        this%coutputs(i)                  = value_column
        this%cwdc_hr(i)                   = value_column
        this%litterc_loss(i)              = value_column
+       
+       this%nee(i)                       = value_column
 
        ! Zero p2c column fluxes
        this%rr(i)                    = value_column
@@ -7428,7 +7430,6 @@ subroutine col_cf_setvalues ( this, num_column, filter_column, value_column)
          this%totfire(i)                   = value_column
          this%nep(i)                       = value_column
          this%nbp(i)                       = value_column
-         this%nee(i)                       = value_column
          this%fire_closs(i)                = value_column
          this%cwdc_loss(i)                 = value_column
          this%som_c_leached(i)             = value_column