diff --git a/src/oce_setup_step.F90 b/src/oce_setup_step.F90
index 8cdbcfbed..5d63bb449 100755
--- a/src/oce_setup_step.F90
+++ b/src/oce_setup_step.F90
@@ -670,9 +670,9 @@ SUBROUTINE oce_initial_state(mesh)
 
 ! Transient tracers
        CASE (14)        ! initialize tracer ID=14, fractionation-corrected 14C/C
+         id_r14c = i
 !        this initialization can be overwritten by calling do_ic3d
          if (.not. any(idlist == 14)) then 
-           id_r14c = i
            tr_arr(:,:,i) = 0.85
            if (mype==0) then
               write (i_string,  "(I3)") i