diff --git a/met/src/libcode/vx_data2d_grib/var_info_grib.cc b/met/src/libcode/vx_data2d_grib/var_info_grib.cc
index de4d685846..a75b699674 100644
--- a/met/src/libcode/vx_data2d_grib/var_info_grib.cc
+++ b/met/src/libcode/vx_data2d_grib/var_info_grib.cc
@@ -212,12 +212,7 @@ void VarInfoGrib::add_grib_code (Dictionary &dict)
    }
    int field_center        = dict.lookup_int   (conf_key_GRIB1_center,    false);
    int field_subcenter     = dict.lookup_int   (conf_key_GRIB1_subcenter, false);
-   Grib1TableEntry  tab;
-
-   // if not specified, fill others with default values
-   if(field_ptv       == bad_data_int) field_ptv       = default_grib1_ptv;
-   if(field_center    == bad_data_int) field_center    = default_grib1_center;
-   if(field_subcenter == bad_data_int) field_subcenter = default_grib1_subcenter;
+   Grib1TableEntry tab;
 
    //  if the name is specified, use it
    if( !field_name.empty() ){
@@ -229,9 +224,13 @@ void VarInfoGrib::add_grib_code (Dictionary &dict)
          if( !GribTable.lookup_grib1(field_name.c_str(), default_grib1_ptv, field_code, default_grib1_center, default_grib1_subcenter, tab, tab_match) )
          {
             mlog << Error << "\nVarInfoGrib::add_grib_code() -> "
-                 << "unrecognized GRIB1 field abbreviation '"
-                 << field_name << "' for table version " << field_ptv
-                 << "\n\n";
+                 << "unrecognized GRIB1 field abbreviation '" << field_name
+                 << "' for table version (" << field_ptv
+                 << "), center (" << field_center
+                 << "), and subcenter (" << field_subcenter
+                 << ") or default table version (" << default_grib1_ptv
+                 << "), center (" << default_grib1_center
+                 << "), and subcenter (" << default_grib1_subcenter << ").\n\n";
             exit(1);
          }
       }
diff --git a/met/src/tools/core/ensemble_stat/ensemble_stat_conf_info.cc b/met/src/tools/core/ensemble_stat/ensemble_stat_conf_info.cc
index c3d1235197..9dcf7154d3 100644
--- a/met/src/tools/core/ensemble_stat/ensemble_stat_conf_info.cc
+++ b/met/src/tools/core/ensemble_stat/ensemble_stat_conf_info.cc
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ void EnsembleStatVxOpt::process_config(GrdFileType ftype, Dictionary &fdict,
    vx_pd.obs_info->set_dict(odict);
 
    // Set the GRIB code for point observations
-   if(!use_var_id) vx_pd.obs_info->add_grib_code(odict);
+   if(point_vx && !use_var_id) vx_pd.obs_info->add_grib_code(odict);
 
    // Dump the contents of the current VarInfo
    if(mlog.verbosity_level() >= 5) {