diff --git a/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_basic.f90 b/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_basic.f90
index 0db9db64b..ed1ff1e2f 100644
--- a/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_basic.f90
+++ b/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_basic.f90
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ subroutine grid_mechanical_spectral_basic_forward(cutBack,guess,Delta_t,Delta_t_
   if (stress_BC%myType=='dot_P') P_aim = P_aim &
                                        + merge(.0_pREAL,stress_BC%values,stress_BC%mask)*Delta_t
 
-  F = reshape(utilities_forwardField(Delta_t,F_lastInc,Fdot, &                                      ! estimate of F at end of time+Delta_t that matches rotated F_aim on average
+  F = reshape(utilities_forwardTensorField(Delta_t,F_lastInc,Fdot, &                                ! estimate of F at end of time+Delta_t that matches rotated F_aim on average
               rotation_BC%rotate(F_aim,active=.true.)),[9,cells(1),cells(2),cells3])
   call DMDAVecRestoreArrayF90(DM_mech,F_PETSc,F,err_PETSc)
   CHKERRQ(err_PETSc)
diff --git a/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_polarization.f90 b/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_polarization.f90
index 5342fa51a..c6c7c2fd5 100644
--- a/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_polarization.f90
+++ b/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_polarization.f90
@@ -408,11 +408,11 @@ subroutine grid_mechanical_spectral_polarization_forward(cutBack,guess,Delta_t,D
   if (stress_BC%myType=='dot_P') P_aim = P_aim &
                                       + merge(.0_pREAL,stress_BC%values,stress_BC%mask)*Delta_t
 
-  F = reshape(utilities_forwardField(Delta_t,F_lastInc,Fdot, &                                      ! estimate of F at end of time+Delta_t that matches rotated F_aim on average
-                                     rotation_BC%rotate(F_aim,active=.true.)),&
+  F = reshape(utilities_forwardTensorField(Delta_t,F_lastInc,Fdot, &                                ! estimate of F at end of time+Delta_t that matches rotated F_aim on average
+                                           rotation_BC%rotate(F_aim,active=.true.)),&
               [9,cells(1),cells(2),cells3])
   if (guess) then
-     F_tau = reshape(Utilities_forwardField(Delta_t,F_tau_lastInc,F_taudot), &
+     F_tau = reshape(Utilities_forwardTensorField(Delta_t,F_tau_lastInc,F_taudot), &
                      [9,cells(1),cells(2),cells3])                                                  ! does not have any average value as boundary condition
    else
     do k = 1, cells3; do j = 1, cells(2); do i = 1, cells(1)
diff --git a/src/grid/spectral_utilities.f90 b/src/grid/spectral_utilities.f90
index 453723a9b..03d945bee 100644
--- a/src/grid/spectral_utilities.f90
+++ b/src/grid/spectral_utilities.f90
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ module spectral_utilities
     utilities_maskedCompliance, &
     utilities_constitutiveResponse, &
     utilities_calculateRate, &
-    utilities_forwardField, &
+    utilities_forwardTensorField, &
     utilities_updateCoords
 
 contains
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@ end function utilities_calculateRate
 !> @brief forwards a field with a pointwise given rate, if aim is given,
 !> ensures that the average matches the aim
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-function utilities_forwardField(Delta_t,field_lastInc,rate,aim)
+function utilities_forwardTensorField(Delta_t,field_lastInc,rate,aim)
 
   real(pREAL), intent(in) :: &
     Delta_t                                                                                         !< Delta_t of current step
@@ -875,22 +875,22 @@ function utilities_forwardField(Delta_t,field_lastInc,rate,aim)
     aim                                                                                             !< average field value aim
 
   real(pREAL),                       dimension(3,3,cells(1),cells(2),cells3) :: &
-    utilities_forwardField
+    utilities_forwardTensorField
   real(pREAL),                       dimension(3,3) :: fieldDiff                                    !< <a + adot*t> - aim
   integer(MPI_INTEGER_KIND) :: err_MPI
 
 
-  utilities_forwardField = field_lastInc + rate*Delta_t
+  utilities_forwardTensorField = field_lastInc + rate*Delta_t
   if (present(aim)) then                                                                            !< correct to match average
-    fieldDiff = sum(sum(sum(utilities_forwardField,dim=5),dim=4),dim=3)*wgt
+    fieldDiff = sum(sum(sum(utilities_forwardTensorField,dim=5),dim=4),dim=3)*wgt
     call MPI_Allreduce(MPI_IN_PLACE,fieldDiff,9_MPI_INTEGER_KIND,MPI_DOUBLE,MPI_SUM,MPI_COMM_WORLD,err_MPI)
     if (err_MPI /= 0_MPI_INTEGER_KIND) error stop 'MPI error'
     fieldDiff = fieldDiff - aim
-    utilities_forwardField = utilities_forwardField &
-                           - spread(spread(spread(fieldDiff,3,cells(1)),4,cells(2)),5,cells3)
+    utilities_forwardTensorField = utilities_forwardTensorField &
+                                 - spread(spread(spread(fieldDiff,3,cells(1)),4,cells(2)),5,cells3)
   end if
 
-end function utilities_forwardField
+end function utilities_forwardTensorField
 
 
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------