diff --git a/modules/aeolus/aeolus_amv.py b/modules/aeolus/aeolus_amv.py
index cceb9eef6bcef44ad2ef9948d182ac51d78bf87c..6004dcad1c774da4e3e387c0d6b9b8b9ed61553e 100644
--- a/modules/aeolus/aeolus_amv.py
+++ b/modules/aeolus/aeolus_amv.py
@@ -1612,9 +1612,12 @@ def create_file_2(match_dct, filename, clvrx_params):
     var_s = rg_exmpl.variables
     for pidx, param in enumerate(clvrx_params):
         v = var_s[param]
-        var = rootgrp.createVariable(param, v.dtype, ['num_aeolus_profs', 'grd_y_len', 'grd_x_len'], fill_value=v.getncattr('_FillValue'))
-        # copy attributes from example to new output variable of the same name
         attr_s = v.ncattrs()
+        if '_FillValue' in attr_s:
+            var = rootgrp.createVariable(param, v.dtype, ['num_aeolus_profs', 'grd_y_len', 'grd_x_len'], fill_value=v.getncattr('_FillValue'))
+        else:
+            var = rootgrp.createVariable(param, v.dtype, ['num_aeolus_profs', 'grd_y_len', 'grd_x_len'])
+        # copy attributes from example to new output variable of the same name
         for attr in attr_s:
             if attr != '_FillValue':
                 var.setncattr(attr, v.getncattr(attr))