diff --git a/io/module_write_netcdf.F90 b/io/module_write_netcdf.F90
index 016d6416d..03a9d57dc 100644
--- a/io/module_write_netcdf.F90
+++ b/io/module_write_netcdf.F90
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ end function nf_set_log_level
                if (is_cubed_sphere) then
                   chunksizes = [im, jm, 1, 1, 1]
                else
-                  chunksizes = [ichunk3d(grid_id), jchunk3d(grid_id), fldlev(i), 1]
+                  chunksizes = [ichunk3d(grid_id), jchunk3d(grid_id), min(kchunk3d(grid_id),fldlev(i)), 1]
                end if
                ncerr = nf90_def_var_chunking(ncid, varids(i), NF90_CHUNKED, chunksizes) ; NC_ERR_STOP(ncerr)
             end if