diff --git a/src/LIB/SURCOUCHE/src/mode_field.f90 b/src/LIB/SURCOUCHE/src/mode_field.f90
index fdcda06a553072c866df35fbbf17dec083e7173f..3950453a24f5a980aa04e68d479dd79392203d85 100644
--- a/src/LIB/SURCOUCHE/src/mode_field.f90
+++ b/src/LIB/SURCOUCHE/src/mode_field.f90
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CMNHNAME   = 'ZHAT'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CSTDNAME   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CLONGNAME  = 'ZHAT'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CUNITS     = 'm'
-TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = '--'
+TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = 'ZZ'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CCOMMENT   = 'Height level without orography'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NGRID      = 4
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NTYPE      = TYPEREAL
@@ -1950,7 +1950,7 @@ TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CMNHNAME   = 'RHOREFZ'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CSTDNAME   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CLONGNAME  = 'RHOREFZ'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CUNITS     = 'kg m-3'
-TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = '--'
+TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = 'ZZ'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CCOMMENT   = 'rhodz for reference state without orography'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NGRID      = 4
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NTYPE      = TYPEREAL
@@ -1963,7 +1963,7 @@ TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CMNHNAME   = 'THVREFZ'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CSTDNAME   = ''
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CLONGNAME  = 'THVREFZ'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CUNITS     = 'K'
-TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = '--'
+TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CDIR       = 'ZZ'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%CCOMMENT   = 'thetavz for reference state without orography'
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NGRID      = 4
 TFIELDLIST(IDX)%NTYPE      = TYPEREAL
diff --git a/src/LIB/SURCOUCHE/src/mode_netcdf.f90 b/src/LIB/SURCOUCHE/src/mode_netcdf.f90
index fa072c2850339fbc5846681e15f5edd199dac08f..d17d039f4e200c99df19eb405774a69931cc98ed 100644
--- a/src/LIB/SURCOUCHE/src/mode_netcdf.f90
+++ b/src/LIB/SURCOUCHE/src/mode_netcdf.f90
@@ -926,8 +926,10 @@ DO JI=1,SIZE(KSHAPE)
   IF (JI == 1) THEN
     IF ( (YDIR == 'XX' .OR. YDIR == 'XY') .AND. KSHAPE(1)==NCOORDID(1,IGRID)%LEN) THEN
       KVDIMS(1) = NCOORDID(1,IGRID)%ID
-    ELSE IF ( YDIR == 'YY'                .AND. KSHAPE(1)==NCOORDID(1,IGRID)%LEN) THEN
+    ELSE IF ( YDIR == 'YY'                .AND. KSHAPE(1)==NCOORDID(2,IGRID)%LEN) THEN
       KVDIMS(1) = NCOORDID(2,IGRID)%ID
+    ELSE IF ( YDIR == 'ZZ'                .AND. KSHAPE(1)==NCOORDID(3,IGRID)%LEN) THEN
+      KVDIMS(1) = NCOORDID(3,IGRID)%ID
     ELSE
       PTDIM => GETDIMCDF(TPFILE, KSHAPE(1)); KVDIMS(1) = PTDIM%ID
     END IF