Index: /issm/trunk-jpl/src/c/classes/Materials/Matice.cpp
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk-jpl/src/c/classes/Materials/Matice.cpp	(revision 26865)
+++ /issm/trunk-jpl/src/c/classes/Materials/Matice.cpp	(revision 26866)
@@ -394,12 +394,10 @@
 	}
 	else{
-
-		/*if no strain rate, return maximum viscosity*/
-		if(eps_eff==0.){
-			viscosity = 1.e+14/2.;
-			//viscosity=2.5*pow(10.,17);
-		}
-
+		/*if strain rate is 0., it is probably our initial guess, use an average
+		 * viscosity instead of a large one*/
+		if(eps_eff==0.) viscosity = 1.e+14/2.;
 		else{
+			/*if no strain rate, return maximum viscosity*/
+			//if(eps_eff<1.e-6) eps_eff = 1e-6;
 			viscosity=(1.-D)*B/(2.*pow(E,1./n)*pow(eps_eff,(n-1.)/n));
 		}