diff --git a/modules/aeolus/aeolus_amv.py b/modules/aeolus/aeolus_amv.py
index 5914182c51f57c47ec18f9ac053773b8b60b73aa..1de7110e8d9e31f3ac419a90e1e783644feadbed 100644
--- a/modules/aeolus/aeolus_amv.py
+++ b/modules/aeolus/aeolus_amv.py
@@ -328,6 +328,13 @@ def get_cloud_layers_dict(filename, lon360=False):
     return cld_lyr_dct
 
 
+def get_cloud_layers_dict_s(aeolus_files_dir, lon360=False):
+    a_d = get_aeolus_time_dict_s(aeolus_files_dir, lon360=lon360, do_sort=True, chan='mie')
+    cld_lyr_dct = time_dict_to_cld_layers(a_d)
+    cld_lyr_dct = time_dict_to_nd_2(cld_lyr_dct)
+    return cld_lyr_dct
+
+
 def run_amv_aeolus_best_fit(match_dict, aeolus_dict):
     keys = list(match_dict.keys())
 
@@ -538,11 +545,10 @@ def create_file(filename, aeolus_to_amv_dct, aeolus_dct, amv_files, cld_lyr=Fals
 # amv_files_dir: G16/17 AMV product files
 # outfile: pathname for the Netcdf match file
 def create_amv_to_aeolus_match_file(aeolus_files_dir, amv_files_dir, outfile=None, amv_source='OPS', band='14', chan='mie'):
-    a_d = get_aeolus_time_dict_s(aeolus_files_dir, chan=chan)
     if chan == 'mie':
-        a_d = time_dict_to_cld_layers(a_d)
-        a_d = time_dict_to_nd_2(a_d)
+        a_d = get_cloud_layers_dict_s(aeolus_files_dir)
     else:
+        a_d = get_aeolus_time_dict_s(aeolus_files_dir, chan=chan)
         a_d = time_dict_to_nd(a_d)
 
     amv_files = None