diff --git a/src/nuopc_shr_methods.F90 b/src/nuopc_shr_methods.F90
index 07cf7e5..7055cc8 100644
--- a/src/nuopc_shr_methods.F90
+++ b/src/nuopc_shr_methods.F90
@@ -618,11 +618,17 @@ subroutine alarmInit( clock, alarm, option, &
    case (optNSteps,trim(optNSteps)//'s')
       call ESMF_ClockGet(clock, TimeStep=TimestepInterval, rc=rc)
       if (ChkErr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) return
-      call ESMF_TimeIntervalSet(AlarmInterval, s=dtime_drv, rc=rc )
-      if (ChkErr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) return
+      if(dtime_drv > 0) then
+         call ESMF_TimeIntervalSet(AlarmInterval, s=dtime_drv, rc=rc )
+         if (ChkErr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) return
+      else
+         call ESMF_ClockGet(clock, TimeStep=AlarmInterval, rc=rc)
+         if (ChkErr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) return
+      endif
+      
       AlarmInterval = AlarmInterval * opt_n
       ! timestepinterval*0 is 0 of kind ESMF_TimeStepInterval
-      if (mod(AlarmInterval, TimestepInterval) /= (timestepinterval*0)) then
+      if (mod(AlarmInterval, TimestepInterval) /= (TimestepInterval*0)) then
          call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//'illegal Alarm setting for '//trim(alarmname), ESMF_LOGMSG_ERROR)
          rc = ESMF_FAILURE
          return