Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/c/classes/Loads/Friction.cpp
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/c/classes/Loads/Friction.cpp	(revision 17937)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/c/classes/Loads/Friction.cpp	(revision 17938)
@@ -94,8 +94,7 @@
 	}
 
-	/*Checks that s-1>0 if v=0*/
-	if(vmag==0. && (s-1.)<0.) _error_("velocity is 0 and (s-1)=" << (s-1.) << "<0, alpha2 is Inf");
-
-	alpha2=drag_coefficient*drag_coefficient*pow(Neff,r)*pow(vmag,(s-1.));
+	/*Check to prevent dividing by zero if vmag==0*/
+	if(vmag==0. && (s-1.)<0.) alpha2=0.;
+	else alpha2=drag_coefficient*drag_coefficient*pow(Neff,r)*pow(vmag,(s-1.));
 	_assert_(!xIsNan<IssmDouble>(alpha2));
 
@@ -159,8 +158,7 @@
 	}
 
-	/*Checks that s-1>0 if v=0*/
-	if(vmag==0. && (s-1.)<0.) _error_("velocity is 0 and (s-1)=" << (s-1.) << "<0, alpha2 is Inf");
-
-	alpha_complement=pow(Neff,r)*pow(vmag,(s-1));_assert_(!xIsNan<IssmDouble>(alpha_complement));
+	/*Check to prevent dividing by zero if vmag==0*/
+	if(vmag==0. && (s-1.)<0.) alpha_complement=0.;
+	else alpha_complement=pow(Neff,r)*pow(vmag,(s-1));_assert_(!xIsNan<IssmDouble>(alpha_complement));
 
 	/*Assign output pointers:*/