diff --git a/chem/module_optical_averaging.F b/chem/module_optical_averaging.F
index 0d0b3752c1..357405a573 100644
--- a/chem/module_optical_averaging.F
+++ b/chem/module_optical_averaging.F
@@ -5082,22 +5082,26 @@ subroutine mieaer( &
           !ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc
 
 ! check for refr and refi outside of lookup table range to prevent unstable extrapolation 'binterp' below
-          if (refr < refrtabsw(1,ns)) then
-             refr = refrtabsw(1,ns)
-             write(*,*) 'Warning: refr is smaller than lookup table range and reset to minimum bound at SW band ', ns
-          endif
-          if (refr > refrtabsw(prefr,ns)) then
-             refr = refrtabsw(prefr,ns)
-             write(*,*) 'Warning: refr is larger than lookup table range and reset to maximum bound at SW band ', ns
-          endif
-          if (refi < refitabsw(1,ns)) then
-             refi = refitabsw(1,ns)
-             write(*,*) 'Warning: refi is smaller than lookup table range and reset to minimum bound at SW band ', ns
-          endif
-          if (refi > refitabsw(prefi,ns)) then
-             refi = refitabsw(prefi,ns)
-             write(*,*) 'Warning: refi is larger than lookup table range and reset to maximum bound at SW band ', ns
-          endif
+         if (refr < refrtabsw(1,ns)) then
+            refr = refrtabsw(1,ns)
+            if (number_bin_col(m,klevel).ge.1.e-10) &
+               write(*,*) 'Warning: refr is smaller than lookup table range and reset to minimum bound at SW band ', ns
+         endif
+         if (refr > refrtabsw(prefr,ns)) then
+            refr = refrtabsw(prefr,ns)
+            if (number_bin_col(m,klevel).ge.1.e-10) &
+               write(*,*) 'Warning: refr is larger than lookup table range and reset to maximum bound at SW band ', ns
+         endif
+         if (refi < refitabsw(1,ns)) then
+            refi = refitabsw(1,ns)
+            if (number_bin_col(m,klevel).ge.1.e-10) &
+               write(*,*) 'Warning: refi is smaller than lookup table range and reset to minimum bound at SW band ', ns
+         endif
+         if (refi > refitabsw(prefi,ns)) then
+            if (number_bin_col(m,klevel).ge.1.e-10 .and. abs(refi).gt.1.e-12) &
+               write(*,*) 'Warning: refi is larger than lookup table range and reset to maximum bound at SW band ', ns
+            refi = refitabsw(prefi,ns)
+         endif
 
 ! interpolate coefficients linear in refractive index
 ! first call calcs itab,jtab,ttab,utab
@@ -5357,22 +5361,26 @@ subroutine mieaer( &
           !ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc
 
 ! check for refr and refi outside of lookup table range to prevent unstable extrapolation 'binterp' below
-          if (refr < refrtablw(1,ns)) then
-             refr = refrtablw(1,ns)
-             write(*,*) 'Warning: refr is smaller than lookup table range and reset to minimum bound at LW band ', ns
-          endif
-          if (refr > refrtablw(prefr,ns)) then
-             refr = refrtablw(prefr,ns)
-             write(*,*) 'Warning: refr is larger than lookup table range and reset to maximum bound at LW band ', ns
-          endif
-          if (refi < refitablw(1,ns)) then    
-             refi = refitablw(1,ns)
-             write(*,*) 'Warning: refi is smaller than lookup table range and reset to minimum bound at LW band ', ns
-          endif
-          if (refi > refitablw(prefi,ns)) then
-             refi = refitablw(prefi,ns)
-             write(*,*) 'Warning: refi is larger than lookup table range and reset to maximum bound at LW band ', ns
-          endif
+        if (refr < refrtablw(1,ns)) then
+            refr = refrtablw(1,ns)
+            if (number_bin_col(m,klevel).ge.1.e-10) &
+               write(*,*) 'Warning: refr is smaller than lookup table range and reset to minimum bound at LW band ', ns
+         endif
+         if (refr > refrtablw(prefr,ns)) then
+            refr = refrtablw(prefr,ns)
+            if (number_bin_col(m,klevel).ge.1.e-10) &
+               write(*,*) 'Warning: refr is larger than lookup table range and reset to maximum bound at LW band ', ns
+         endif
+         if (refi < refitablw(1,ns)) then
+            refi = refitablw(1,ns)
+            if (number_bin_col(m,klevel).ge.1.e-10) &
+               write(*,*) 'Warning: refi is smaller than lookup table range and reset to minimum bound at LW band ', ns
+         endif
+         if (refi > refitablw(prefi,ns)) then
+            if (number_bin_col(m,klevel).ge.1.e-10 .and. abs(refi).gt.1.e-12) &
+               write(*,*) 'Warning: refi is larger than lookup table range and reset to maximum bound at LW band ', ns
+            refi = refitablw(prefi,ns)
+         endif
 
 ! interpolate coefficients linear in refractive index
 ! first call calcs itab,jtab,ttab,utab