diff --git a/Inst_eddies/max_speed_contour_ssh.f90 b/Inst_eddies/max_speed_contour_ssh.f90
index 7cb7e84f8c6af9d895cb4d7b10cd5133fce9ab57..8b70fcefe3de65fe7cea13a994cd70ed67d779b6 100644
--- a/Inst_eddies/max_speed_contour_ssh.f90
+++ b/Inst_eddies/max_speed_contour_ssh.f90
@@ -50,7 +50,12 @@ contains
        ! outermost contour as max-speed contour.
        max_speed_contour_ssh = missing_ssh
     else
-       l = maxloc(abs(sum(v_azim, dim = 1) / 4.), dim = 1)
+       if (radius >= 3) then
+          l = maxloc(abs(sum(v_azim, dim = 1) / 4.), dim = 1)
+       else
+          l = 1
+       end if
+       
        direction = maxloc(abs(v_azim(:, l)), dim = 1)
 
        select case (direction)