diff --git a/components/mpas-ocean/src/mode_init/mpas_ocn_init_global_ocean.F b/components/mpas-ocean/src/mode_init/mpas_ocn_init_global_ocean.F
index 1f75bd1c515d..0b810b193122 100644
--- a/components/mpas-ocean/src/mode_init/mpas_ocn_init_global_ocean.F
+++ b/components/mpas-ocean/src/mode_init/mpas_ocn_init_global_ocean.F
@@ -894,7 +894,7 @@ subroutine ocn_init_setup_global_ocean_create_model_topo(domain, iErr)!{{{
              if (isOcean) then
                 ! Enforce minimum depth
                 bottomDepth(iCell) = max(bottomDepthObserved(iCell), config_global_ocean_minimum_depth)
-                bottomDepth(iCell) = min(bottomDepth(iCell), refBottomDepth(minimum_levels))
+                bottomDepth(iCell) = max(bottomDepth(iCell), refBottomDepth(minimum_levels))
 
                 maxLevelCell(iCell) = -1
                 do k = 1, nVertLevels