Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/independent.py
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/independent.py	(revision 20525)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/m/classes/independent.py	(revision 20526)
@@ -52,5 +52,5 @@
 				raise TypeError("independent checkconsistency error: nods should be set to the size of the independent variable")
 
-		if self.fov_forward_indices:
+		if len(self.fov_forward_indices) > 0:
 			if not strcmpi(driver,'fov_forward'):
 				raise TypeError("cannot declare an independent with fov_forward_indices when the driver is not fov_forward!")