diff --git a/cicecore/drivers/nuopc/cmeps/ice_comp_nuopc.F90 b/cicecore/drivers/nuopc/cmeps/ice_comp_nuopc.F90
index 1363503db..7da8245a3 100644
--- a/cicecore/drivers/nuopc/cmeps/ice_comp_nuopc.F90
+++ b/cicecore/drivers/nuopc/cmeps/ice_comp_nuopc.F90
@@ -834,6 +834,7 @@ subroutine InitializeRealize(gcomp, importState, exportState, clock, rc)
        myear = (idate/10000)                     ! integer year of basedate
        mmonth= (idate-myear*10000)/100           ! integer month of basedate
        mday  =  idate-myear*10000-mmonth*100     ! day of month of basedate
+       msec  = start_tod                         ! start from basedate
 
        if (my_task == master_task) then
           write(nu_diag,*) trim(subname),' curr_ymd = ',curr_ymd