diff --git a/biogeophys/FatesPlantHydraulicsMod.F90 b/biogeophys/FatesPlantHydraulicsMod.F90
index 8db569c78e..78046c1aa8 100644
--- a/biogeophys/FatesPlantHydraulicsMod.F90
+++ b/biogeophys/FatesPlantHydraulicsMod.F90
@@ -3361,7 +3361,7 @@ subroutine Hydraulics_1DSolve(cc_p, ft, z_node, v_node, ths_node, thr_node, kmax
     ccohort_hydr%iterh2 = real(iterh2)
 
     ! WATER BALANCE ERROR-HANDLING
-    if (abs(we_local) > thresh) then
+    if ( (abs(we_local) > thresh) .and. debug) then
        write(fates_log(),*)'WARNING: plant hydraulics water balance error exceeds threshold of ',&
              thresh
     else if (abs(we_local) > thresh_break) then