diff --git a/src/unit_test_shr/unittestTimeManagerMod.F90 b/src/unit_test_shr/unittestTimeManagerMod.F90
index efc60ec786..8e1cdb3f36 100644
--- a/src/unit_test_shr/unittestTimeManagerMod.F90
+++ b/src/unit_test_shr/unittestTimeManagerMod.F90
@@ -177,12 +177,6 @@ subroutine unittest_timemgr_set_nstep(nstep)
     ! !DESCRIPTION:
     ! Set the time step number
     !
-!KO
-    ! Comment not needed now?
-!KO
-    ! Note that the starting time step number is 0, so calling this with nstep = 1
-    ! advances the time step beyond the starting time step.
-    !
     ! !USES:
     use clm_time_manager, only : advance_timestep
     !
@@ -195,7 +189,7 @@ subroutine unittest_timemgr_set_nstep(nstep)
     character(len=*), parameter :: subname = 'unittest_timemgr_set_nstep'
     !-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-    do n = 1, nstep
+    do n = 2, nstep
        call advance_timestep()
     end do
 
diff --git a/src/utils/test/clm_time_manager_test/test_clm_time_manager.pf b/src/utils/test/clm_time_manager_test/test_clm_time_manager.pf
index 435d795e50..239f9924cf 100644
--- a/src/utils/test/clm_time_manager_test/test_clm_time_manager.pf
+++ b/src/utils/test/clm_time_manager_test/test_clm_time_manager.pf
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ contains
   end subroutine getPrevYearfrac_leapYearAtYearBoundary_returnsCorrectValue
 
   @Test
-  subroutine getNstep_step0(this)
+  subroutine getNstep_step1(this)
     class(TestTimeManager), intent(inout) :: this
     integer :: nstep
 
@@ -285,8 +285,8 @@ contains
 
     nstep = get_nstep()
 
-    @assertEqual(0, nstep)
-  end subroutine getNstep_step0
+    @assertEqual(1, nstep)
+  end subroutine getNstep_step1
 
   @Test
   subroutine getNstep_step3(this)
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ contains
 
     call unittest_timemgr_setup(dtime=dtime)
 
-    call set_nstep(1)
+    call set_nstep(2)
 
     is_first = is_first_step()