diff --git a/src/cache/diagnostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl b/src/cache/diagnostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl
index 9631799275..3a8d531973 100644
--- a/src/cache/diagnostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl
+++ b/src/cache/diagnostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl
@@ -943,7 +943,8 @@ NVTX.@annotate function set_diagnostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities_env_closures!
     ᶠu⁰ = p.scratch.ᶠtemp_C123
     @. ᶠu⁰ = C123(ᶠinterp(Y.c.uₕ)) + C123(ᶠu³⁰)
     ᶜstrain_rate = p.scratch.ᶜtemp_UVWxUVW
-    compute_strain_rate_center!(ᶜstrain_rate, ᶠu⁰)
+    bc_strain_rate = compute_strain_rate_center(ᶠu⁰)
+    @. ᶜstrain_rate = bc_strain_rate
     @. ᶜstrain_rate_norm = norm_sqr(ᶜstrain_rate)
 
     ᶜprandtl_nvec = p.scratch.ᶜtemp_scalar
diff --git a/src/cache/prognostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl b/src/cache/prognostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl
index 595406ced9..700ac93adf 100644
--- a/src/cache/prognostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl
+++ b/src/cache/prognostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities.jl
@@ -306,7 +306,8 @@ NVTX.@annotate function set_prognostic_edmf_precomputed_quantities_closures!(
     ᶠu⁰ = p.scratch.ᶠtemp_C123
     @. ᶠu⁰ = C123(ᶠinterp(Y.c.uₕ)) + C123(ᶠu³⁰)
     ᶜstrain_rate = p.scratch.ᶜtemp_UVWxUVW
-    compute_strain_rate_center!(ᶜstrain_rate, ᶠu⁰)
+    bc_strain_rate = compute_strain_rate_center(ᶠu⁰)
+    @. ᶜstrain_rate = bc_strain_rate
     @. ᶜstrain_rate_norm = norm_sqr(ᶜstrain_rate)
 
     ᶜprandtl_nvec = p.scratch.ᶜtemp_scalar
diff --git a/src/prognostic_equations/edmfx_sgs_flux.jl b/src/prognostic_equations/edmfx_sgs_flux.jl
index f268af021d..a55974e3f0 100644
--- a/src/prognostic_equations/edmfx_sgs_flux.jl
+++ b/src/prognostic_equations/edmfx_sgs_flux.jl
@@ -220,7 +220,8 @@ function edmfx_sgs_diffusive_flux_tendency!(
 
         # momentum
         ᶠstrain_rate = p.scratch.ᶠtemp_UVWxUVW
-        compute_strain_rate_face!(ᶠstrain_rate, ᶜu⁰)
+        bc_strain_rate = compute_strain_rate_face(ᶜu⁰)
+        @. ᶠstrain_rate = bc_strain_rate
         @. Yₜ.c.uₕ -= C12(ᶜdivᵥ(-(2 * ᶠρaK_u * ᶠstrain_rate)) / Y.c.ρ)
         # apply boundary condition for momentum flux
         ᶜdivᵥ_uₕ = Operators.DivergenceF2C(
@@ -292,7 +293,8 @@ function edmfx_sgs_diffusive_flux_tendency!(
 
         # momentum
         ᶠstrain_rate = p.scratch.ᶠtemp_UVWxUVW
-        compute_strain_rate_face!(ᶠstrain_rate, ᶜu)
+        bc_strain_rate = compute_strain_rate_face(ᶜu)
+        @. ᶠstrain_rate = bc_strain_rate
         @. Yₜ.c.uₕ -= C12(ᶜdivᵥ(-(2 * ᶠρaK_u * ᶠstrain_rate)) / Y.c.ρ)
         # apply boundary condition for momentum flux
         ᶜdivᵥ_uₕ = Operators.DivergenceF2C(
diff --git a/src/prognostic_equations/gm_sgs_closures.jl b/src/prognostic_equations/gm_sgs_closures.jl
index 13730270ed..d1cecfcf74 100644
--- a/src/prognostic_equations/gm_sgs_closures.jl
+++ b/src/prognostic_equations/gm_sgs_closures.jl
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ NVTX.@annotate function compute_gm_mixing_length!(ᶜmixing_length, Y, p)
     ᶠu = p.scratch.ᶠtemp_C123
     @. ᶠu = C123(ᶠinterp(Y.c.uₕ)) + C123(ᶠu³)
     ᶜstrain_rate = p.scratch.ᶜtemp_UVWxUVW
-    compute_strain_rate_center!(ᶜstrain_rate, ᶠu)
+    bc_strain_rate = compute_strain_rate_center(ᶠu)
+    @. ᶜstrain_rate = bc_strain_rate
     @. ᶜstrain_rate_norm = norm_sqr(ᶜstrain_rate)
 
     ᶜprandtl_nvec = p.scratch.ᶜtemp_scalar_2
diff --git a/src/prognostic_equations/vertical_diffusion_boundary_layer.jl b/src/prognostic_equations/vertical_diffusion_boundary_layer.jl
index 7c906a4fb5..58ce2d4276 100644
--- a/src/prognostic_equations/vertical_diffusion_boundary_layer.jl
+++ b/src/prognostic_equations/vertical_diffusion_boundary_layer.jl
@@ -31,7 +31,8 @@ function vertical_diffusion_boundary_layer_tendency!(
 
     if diffuse_momentum(p.atmos.vert_diff)
         ᶠstrain_rate = p.scratch.ᶠtemp_UVWxUVW
-        compute_strain_rate_face!(ᶠstrain_rate, ᶜu)
+        bc_strain_rate = compute_strain_rate_face(ᶜu)
+        @. ᶠstrain_rate = bc_strain_rate
         @. Yₜ.c.uₕ -= C12(
             ᶜdivᵥ(-2 * ᶠinterp(Y.c.ρ) * ᶠinterp(ᶜK_u) * ᶠstrain_rate) / Y.c.ρ,
         )
diff --git a/src/utils/utilities.jl b/src/utils/utilities.jl
index c9d184138f..c99b5ca553 100644
--- a/src/utils/utilities.jl
+++ b/src/utils/utilities.jl
@@ -78,28 +78,27 @@ state.
 compute_kinetic(Y::Fields.FieldVector) = compute_kinetic(Y.c.uₕ, Y.f.u₃)
 
 """
-    compute_strain_rate_center!(ϵ::Field, u::Field)
+    bc_ϵ = compute_strain_rate_center(u::Field)
+    @. ϵ = bc_ϵ
 
-Compute the strain_rate at cell centers, storing in `ϵ` from
-velocity at cell faces.
+Compute the strain_rate at cell centers from velocity at cell faces.
 """
-function compute_strain_rate_center!(ϵ::Fields.Field, u::Fields.Field)
+function compute_strain_rate_center(u::Fields.Field)
     @assert eltype(u) <: C123
     axis_uvw = Geometry.UVWAxis()
-    @. ϵ =
-        (
-            Geometry.project((axis_uvw,), ᶜgradᵥ(UVW(u))) +
-            adjoint(Geometry.project((axis_uvw,), ᶜgradᵥ(UVW(u))))
-        ) / 2
+    return @lazy @. (
+        Geometry.project((axis_uvw,), ᶜgradᵥ(UVW(u))) +
+        adjoint(Geometry.project((axis_uvw,), ᶜgradᵥ(UVW(u))))
+    ) / 2
 end
 
 """
-    compute_strain_rate_face!(ϵ::Field, u::Field)
+    bc_ϵ = compute_strain_rate_face(u::Field)
+    @. ϵ = bc_ϵ
 
-Compute the strain_rate at cell faces, storing in `ϵ` from
-velocity at cell centers.
+Compute the strain_rate at cell faces from velocity at cell centers.
 """
-function compute_strain_rate_face!(ϵ::Fields.Field, u::Fields.Field)
+function compute_strain_rate_face(u::Fields.Field)
     @assert eltype(u) <: C123
     ∇ᵥuvw_boundary =
         Geometry.outer(Geometry.WVector(0), Geometry.UVWVector(0, 0, 0))
@@ -108,11 +107,10 @@ function compute_strain_rate_face!(ϵ::Fields.Field, u::Fields.Field)
         top = Operators.SetGradient(∇ᵥuvw_boundary),
     )
     axis_uvw = Geometry.UVWAxis()
-    @. ϵ =
-        (
-            Geometry.project((axis_uvw,), ᶠgradᵥ(UVW(u))) +
-            adjoint(Geometry.project((axis_uvw,), ᶠgradᵥ(UVW(u))))
-        ) / 2
+    return @lazy @. (
+        Geometry.project((axis_uvw,), ᶠgradᵥ(UVW(u))) +
+        adjoint(Geometry.project((axis_uvw,), ᶠgradᵥ(UVW(u))))
+    ) / 2
 end
 
 """
diff --git a/test/utilities.jl b/test/utilities.jl
index 2757dd9441..fcff850ff7 100644
--- a/test/utilities.jl
+++ b/test/utilities.jl
@@ -86,8 +86,12 @@ end
     ᶠu = @. UVW(Geometry.UVector(ᶠu)) +
        UVW(Geometry.VVector(ᶠv)) +
        UVW(Geometry.WVector(ᶠw))
-    CA.compute_strain_rate_center!(ᶜϵ, Geometry.Covariant123Vector.(ᶠu))
-    CA.compute_strain_rate_face!(ᶠϵ, Geometry.Covariant123Vector.(ᶜu))
+    bc_strain_rate =
+        CA.compute_strain_rate_center(Geometry.Covariant123Vector.(ᶠu))
+    @. ᶜϵ = bc_strain_rate
+    bc_strain_rate =
+        CA.compute_strain_rate_face(Geometry.Covariant123Vector.(ᶜu))
+    @. ᶠϵ = bc_strain_rate
 
     # Center valued strain rate
     @test ᶜϵ.components.data.:1 == ᶜϵ.components.data.:1 .* FT(0)