diff --git a/Inst_eddies/set_max_speed.f90 b/Inst_eddies/set_max_speed.f90
index 455ccc026502a67a2596261dc4f111674b86aaae..9dc0341fdbb3625fe13d90028b76f45b458d6244 100644
--- a/Inst_eddies/set_max_speed.f90
+++ b/Inst_eddies/set_max_speed.f90
@@ -50,10 +50,11 @@ contains
     ! Local:
 
     real, allocatable:: speed(:) ! (n_cont) speed on the contour
-    integer i
+    integer i, i_outer
 
     !---------------------------------------------------------------
 
+    i_outer = n_cont
     allocate(speed(n_cont))
 
     do i = 1, n_cont
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ contains
        ! All speed values are NaN
        e%speed_cont = null_ssh_contour()
        e%max_speed = missing_speed
-    else if (i == n_cont) then
+    else if (i == i_outer) then
        ! Maximum speed on the outermost contour
        e%speed_cont = null_ssh_contour()
        e%max_speed = speed(i)