diff --git a/components/eamxx/src/physics/shoc/eamxx_shoc_process_interface.hpp b/components/eamxx/src/physics/shoc/eamxx_shoc_process_interface.hpp
index 1695e60dfbc..469c31de7af 100644
--- a/components/eamxx/src/physics/shoc/eamxx_shoc_process_interface.hpp
+++ b/components/eamxx/src/physics/shoc/eamxx_shoc_process_interface.hpp
@@ -88,13 +88,10 @@ class SHOCMacrophysics : public scream::AtmosphereProcess
         
         cldfrac_liq_prev(i,k)=cldfrac_liq(i,k);
 
-        const auto range = ekat::range<IntSmallPack>(k*Spack::n);
-        const Smask in_nlev_range = (range < nlev);
-
-        // Inverse of Exner. Assert that exner != 0 when in range before computing.
+        // Inverse of Exner. In non-rel builds, assert that exner != 0 when in range before computing.
         const Spack exner = PF::exner_function(p_mid(i,k));
         const Smask nonzero = (exner != 0);
-        EKAT_KERNEL_ASSERT((nonzero || !in_nlev_range).all());
+        EKAT_KERNEL_ASSERT((nonzero || !(ekat::range<IntSmallPack>(k*Spack::n) < nlev)).all());
         inv_exner(i,k).set(nonzero, 1/exner);
 
         tke(i,k) = ekat::max(mintke, tke(i,k));