diff --git a/build/source/engine/mDecisions.f90 b/build/source/engine/mDecisions.f90
index 8b00358ac..43569f18b 100755
--- a/build/source/engine/mDecisions.f90
+++ b/build/source/engine/mDecisions.f90
@@ -299,6 +299,11 @@ subroutine mDecisions(err,message)
  OPT_RAD=3   ! option for canopy radiation
  OPT_ALB=2   ! option for snow albedo
 
+ ! set zero option for thee category tables
+ ! NOTE: we want to keep track of these decisions, but not used in the physics routines
+ model_decisions(iLookDECISIONS%soilCatTbl)%iDecision = 0
+ model_decisions(iLookDECISIONS%vegeParTbl)%iDecision = 0
+
  ! identify the choice of function for the soil moisture control on stomatal resistance
  select case(trim(model_decisions(iLookDECISIONS%soilStress)%cDecision))
   case('NoahType'); model_decisions(iLookDECISIONS%soilStress)%iDecision = NoahType             ! thresholded linear function of volumetric liquid water content
diff --git a/build/source/engine/read_force.f90 b/build/source/engine/read_force.f90
index 1296b01d3..bf3435a60 100755
--- a/build/source/engine/read_force.f90
+++ b/build/source/engine/read_force.f90
@@ -486,6 +486,10 @@ subroutine readForcingData(currentJulday,ncId,iFile,iRead,nHRUlocal,time_data,fo
   ! get index in forcing structure
   iVar = forcFileInfo(iFile)%var_ix(iNC)
   checkForce(iVar) = .true.
+  
+  ! get variable name for error reporting
+  err=nf90_inquire_variable(ncid,iNC,name=varName)
+  if(err/=nf90_noerr)then; message=trim(message)//'problem reading forcing variable name from netCDF: '//trim(nf90_strerror(err)); return; endif
 
   ! read forcing data for all HRUs
   if(simultaneousRead)then
diff --git a/build/source/engine/vegNrgFlux.f90 b/build/source/engine/vegNrgFlux.f90
index e6eb0de86..47bfba9a9 100755
--- a/build/source/engine/vegNrgFlux.f90
+++ b/build/source/engine/vegNrgFlux.f90
@@ -3140,6 +3140,7 @@ subroutine aStability(&
  integer(i4b),intent(out)      :: err                    ! error code
  character(*),intent(out)      :: message                ! error message
  ! local
+ real(dp), parameter           :: verySmall=1.e-10_dp    ! a very small number (avoid stability of zero)
  real(dp)                      :: dRiBulk_dAirTemp       ! derivative in the bulk Richardson number w.r.t. air temperature (K-1)
  real(dp)                      :: dRiBulk_dSfcTemp       ! derivative in the bulk Richardson number w.r.t. surface temperature (K-1)
  real(dp)                      :: bPrime                 ! scaled "b" parameter for stability calculations in Louis (1979)
@@ -3188,11 +3189,11 @@ subroutine aStability(&
   case(standard)
    ! compute surface-atmosphere exchange coefficient (-)
    if(RiBulk <  critRichNumber) stabilityCorrection = (1._dp - 5._dp*RiBulk)**2._dp
-   if(RiBulk >= critRichNumber) stabilityCorrection = epsilon(stabilityCorrection)
+   if(RiBulk >= critRichNumber) stabilityCorrection = verySmall
    ! compute derivative in surface-atmosphere exchange coefficient w.r.t. temperature (K-1)
    if(computeDerivative)then
     if(RiBulk <  critRichNumber) dStabilityCorrection_dRich = (-5._dp) * 2._dp*(1._dp - 5._dp*RiBulk)
-    if(RiBulk >= critRichNumber) dStabilityCorrection_dRich = 0._dp
+    if(RiBulk >= critRichNumber) dStabilityCorrection_dRich = verySmall
    end if
 
   ! (Louis 1979)