diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/dynamics/mpas_atm_time_integration.F b/src/core_atmosphere/dynamics/mpas_atm_time_integration.F
index c467d6169d..7ae12c2bcc 100644
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/dynamics/mpas_atm_time_integration.F
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/dynamics/mpas_atm_time_integration.F
@@ -2006,7 +2006,7 @@ subroutine atm_compute_vert_imp_coefs_work(nCells, moist_start, moist_end, dts,
       rcv = rgas/(cp-rgas)
       c2 = cp*rcv
 
-      !$acc parallel
+      !$acc parallel default(present)
       !$acc loop gang worker
 ! MGD bad to have all threads setting this variable?
       do k=1,nVertLevels
@@ -2014,7 +2014,7 @@ subroutine atm_compute_vert_imp_coefs_work(nCells, moist_start, moist_end, dts,
       end do
       !$acc end parallel
 
-      !$acc parallel
+      !$acc parallel default(present)
       !$acc loop gang worker private(b_tri,c_tri)
       do iCell = cellSolveStart,cellSolveEnd  !  we only need to do cells we are solving for, not halo cells