diff --git a/get_1_outerm.f b/get_1_outerm.f
index a9c0786592c18a0b9b8d1310408bf3bd136e4812..2615a7ddce1c994427835055b164d91885326144 100644
--- a/get_1_outerm.f
+++ b/get_1_outerm.f
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ contains
 
        if (tentative_contour%n_points /= 0) then
           get_1_outerm%polyline = tentative_contour
-          level_good = level_try
+          get_1_outerm%ssh = level_try
        else
           ! {no good contour at level_try}
           level_bad = level_try
@@ -89,9 +89,10 @@ contains
              ! level_good) and get_1_outerm%%n_points /= 0 and
              ! no good contour at level_bad}
           end do
+          
+          get_1_outerm%ssh = level_good
        end if
 
-       get_1_outerm%ssh = level_good
        get_1_outerm%area = spherical_polygon_area(get_1_outerm%polyline)
     end if