diff --git a/xmitgcm/llcreader/llcmodel.py b/xmitgcm/llcreader/llcmodel.py
index 81f6349..a33dbaf 100644
--- a/xmitgcm/llcreader/llcmodel.py
+++ b/xmitgcm/llcreader/llcmodel.py
@@ -65,6 +65,22 @@ def _get_var_metadata(extra_variables=None):
     return var_metadata
 
 
+def _get_variable_point(vname, dims, mask_override):
+    # fix for https://github.com/MITgcm/xmitgcm/issues/191
+    if vname in mask_override:
+        return mask_override[vname]
+    if 'i' in dims and 'j' in dims:
+        point = 'c'
+    elif 'i_g' in dims and 'j' in dims:
+        point = 'w'
+    elif 'i' in dims and 'j_g' in dims:
+        point = 's'
+    elif 'i_g' in dims and 'j_g' in dims:
+        raise ValueError("Don't have masks for corner points!")
+    else:
+        raise ValueError("Variable `%s` is not a horizontal variable." % vname)
+    return point
+
 
 def _decompress(data, mask, dtype):
     data_blank = np.full_like(mask, np.nan, dtype=dtype)
@@ -405,7 +421,7 @@ def _chunks(l, n):
 
 
 def _get_facet_chunk(store, varname, iternum, nfacet, klevels, nx, nz, nfaces,
-                     dtype, mask_override, domain, pad_before, pad_after):
+                     dtype, mask_override, domain, pad_before, pad_after, dims):
 
     fs, path = store.get_fs_and_full_path(varname, iternum)
 
@@ -423,7 +439,7 @@ def _get_facet_chunk(store, varname, iternum, nfacet, klevels, nx, nz, nfaces,
     if (store.shrunk and iternum is not None) or \
        (store.shrunk_grid and iternum is None):
         # the store tells us whether we need a mask or not
-        point = _get_variable_point(varname, mask_override)
+        point = _get_variable_point(varname, dims, mask_override)
         mykey = nx if domain == 'global' else f'{domain}_{nx}'
         index = all_index_data[mykey][point]
         zgroup = store.open_mask_group()
@@ -593,22 +609,6 @@ def _is_vgrid(self, vname):
         dims = self.var_metadata[vname]['dims']
         return len(dims)==1 and dims[0][0]=='k'
 
-    def _get_variable_point(self, vname, mask_override):
-        # fix for https://github.com/MITgcm/xmitgcm/issues/191
-        if vname in mask_override:
-            return mask_override[vname]
-        dims = self.var_metadata[vname]['dims']
-        if 'i' in dims and 'j' in dims:
-            point = 'c'
-        elif 'i_g' in dims and 'j' in dims:
-            point = 'w'
-        elif 'i' in dims and 'j_g' in dims:
-            point = 's'
-        elif 'i_g' in dims and 'j_g' in dims:
-            raise ValueError("Don't have masks for corner points!")
-        else:
-            raise ValueError("Variable `%s` is not a horizontal variable." % vname)
-        return point
 
     def _get_scalars_and_vectors(self, varnames, type):
 
@@ -701,10 +701,11 @@ def _key_and_task(n_k, these_klevels, n_iter=None, iternum=None):
                 key = name, n_k, 0, 0, 0
             else:
                 key = name, n_iter, n_k, 0, 0, 0
+            dims = self.var_metadata[varname]['dims']
             task = (_get_facet_chunk, self.store, varname, iternum,
                      nfacet, these_klevels, self.nx, self.nz, self.nface,
                      dtype, self.mask_override, self.domain,
-                     self.pad_before, self.pad_after)
+                     self.pad_before, self.pad_after, dims)
             return key, task
 
         if iters is not None: