diff --git a/src/util/util_init_list.f90 b/src/util/util_init_list.f90
index 46249dc0..f1e50754 100644
--- a/src/util/util_init_list.f90
+++ b/src/util/util_init_list.f90
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ subroutine util_init_list(regolayer,initstat)
       if (allocstat == 0) then
          initstat = .true.
          nullify(regolayer%next)
-         regolayer%regodata%thickness = VBIG / 1e6_DP ! This generates a buffer layer that the model should never reach if the run is structured properly
+         regolayer%regodata%thickness = sqrt(VBIG) ! This generates a buffer layer that the model should never reach if the run is structured properly
          regolayer%regodata%comp = 0.0_DP
          regolayer%regodata%meltfrac = 0.0_DP
          regolayer%regodata%porosity = 0.0_DP