diff --git a/matlab/TCV/gdat_tcv.m b/matlab/TCV/gdat_tcv.m
index cb7460e24317e35146bb613a158033e16d7af2d0..7e6419d9d83c9a06c74de9daea9f8ae6d3b57596 100644
--- a/matlab/TCV/gdat_tcv.m
+++ b/matlab/TCV/gdat_tcv.m
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ if strcmp(mapping_for_tcv.method(1:3),'tdi')
       gdat_data.x = gdat_data.dim(dim_nontim);
     end
   end
-  if mapping_for_tcv.timedim>0; gdat_data.t = gdat_data.dim{mapping_for_tcv.timedim}; end
+  if length(gdat_data.dim)>=mapping_for_tcv.timedim && mapping_for_tcv.timedim>0; gdat_data.t = gdat_data.dim{mapping_for_tcv.timedim}; end
   gdat_data.units = aatmp.units;
   gdat_data.dimunits = aatmp.dimunits;
   if mapping_for_tcv.gdat_timedim>0 && mapping_for_tcv.gdat_timedim ~= mapping_for_tcv.timedim