diff --git a/src/core/MOM.F90 b/src/core/MOM.F90
index 71832ba76c..c2b8104827 100644
--- a/src/core/MOM.F90
+++ b/src/core/MOM.F90
@@ -3602,13 +3602,9 @@ subroutine initialize_MOM(Time, Time_init, param_file, dirs, CS, &
   if (associated(CS%sponge_CSp)) &
     call init_sponge_diags(Time, G, GV, US, diag, CS%sponge_CSp)
 
-  if (associated(CS%ALE_sponge_CSp)) &
-    call init_ALE_sponge_diags(Time, G, diag, CS%ALE_sponge_CSp, US)
-
   if (associated(CS%oda_incupd_CSp)) &
     call init_oda_incupd_diags(Time, G, GV, diag, CS%oda_incupd_CSp, US)
 
-
   call tracer_advect_init(Time, G, US, param_file, diag, CS%tracer_adv_CSp)
   call tracer_hor_diff_init(Time, G, GV, US, param_file, diag, CS%tv%eqn_of_state, CS%diabatic_CSp, &
                             CS%tracer_diff_CSp)
@@ -3642,6 +3638,9 @@ subroutine initialize_MOM(Time, Time_init, param_file, dirs, CS, &
              CS%ALE_sponge_CSp, CS%tv)
   if (present(tracer_flow_CSp)) tracer_flow_CSp => CS%tracer_flow_CSp
 
+  if (associated(CS%ALE_sponge_CSp)) &
+    call init_ALE_sponge_diags(Time, G, diag, CS%ALE_sponge_CSp, US)
+
   ! If running in offline tracer mode, initialize the necessary control structure and
   ! parameters
   if (present(offline_tracer_mode)) offline_tracer_mode=CS%offline_tracer_mode
diff --git a/src/parameterizations/vertical/MOM_ALE_sponge.F90 b/src/parameterizations/vertical/MOM_ALE_sponge.F90
index 773b92ec84..a137fa35db 100644
--- a/src/parameterizations/vertical/MOM_ALE_sponge.F90
+++ b/src/parameterizations/vertical/MOM_ALE_sponge.F90
@@ -142,8 +142,9 @@ module MOM_ALE_sponge
                                    !! It is not clear why this needs to be greater than 0.
 
   !>@{ Diagnostic IDs
-  integer, dimension(MAX_FIELDS_) :: id_sp_tendency  !< Diagnostic ids for tracer
-                                               !! tendencies due to sponges
+  integer, dimension(MAX_FIELDS_) :: id_sp_tendency = reshape([-1], [MAX_FIELDS_], [-1]) !< Diagnostic ids for tracer
+                                                                                         !! tendencies due to sponges.
+                                                                                         !! Init all to -1.
   integer :: id_sp_u_tendency                  !< Diagnostic id for zonal momentum tendency due to
                                                !! Rayleigh damping
   integer :: id_sp_v_tendency                  !< Diagnostic id for meridional momentum tendency due to
@@ -671,7 +672,6 @@ subroutine init_ALE_sponge_diags(Time, G, diag, CS, US)
   CS%diag => diag
 
   do m=1,CS%fldno
-    CS%id_sp_tendency(m) = -1
     if ((trim(CS%Ref_val(m)%unit) == 'none') .or. (len_trim(CS%Ref_val(m)%unit) == 0)) then
       tend_unit = "s-1"
     else