diff --git a/sorc/link_workflow.sh b/sorc/link_workflow.sh
index 76f2a5de5a9..c75d9ca605b 100755
--- a/sorc/link_workflow.sh
+++ b/sorc/link_workflow.sh
@@ -140,6 +140,16 @@ if [[ "${LINK_NEST:-OFF}" == "ON" ]]; then
     done
 fi
 
+#---------------------------------------
+#--link sorc/upp.fd before referencing files within it
+#---------------------------------------
+cd "${HOMEgfs}/sorc" || exit 8
+if [[ -d ufs_model.fd ]]; then
+    if [[ -d upp.fd ]]; then
+        rm -rf upp.fd
+    fi
+    ${LINK} ufs_model.fd/UFSATM/upp upp.fd
+fi
 #---------------------------------------
 #--add files from external repositories
 #---------------------------------------
@@ -459,12 +469,6 @@ fi
 #--link source code directories
 #------------------------------
 cd "${HOMEgfs}/sorc" || exit 8
-if [[ -d ufs_model.fd ]]; then
-    if [[ -d upp.fd ]]; then
-        rm -rf upp.fd
-    fi
-    ${LINK} ufs_model.fd/UFSATM/upp upp.fd
-fi
 
 if [[ -d gsi_enkf.fd ]]; then
     if [[ -d gsi.fd ]]; then