diff --git a/applications/solvers/combustion/chemFoam/createFieldRefs.H b/applications/solvers/combustion/chemFoam/createFieldRefs.H
index ef34180b3..db7fb51a1 100644
--- a/applications/solvers/combustion/chemFoam/createFieldRefs.H
+++ b/applications/solvers/combustion/chemFoam/createFieldRefs.H
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+psiChemistryModel& chemistry = pChemistry();
 scalar dtChem = refCast<const psiChemistryModel>(chemistry).deltaTChem()[0];
 basicMultiComponentMixture& composition = thermo.composition();
 PtrList<volScalarField>& Y = composition.Y();
diff --git a/applications/solvers/combustion/chemFoam/createFields.H b/applications/solvers/combustion/chemFoam/createFields.H
index bcd8e733b..28529708c 100644
--- a/applications/solvers/combustion/chemFoam/createFields.H
+++ b/applications/solvers/combustion/chemFoam/createFields.H
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
     thermo.validate(args.executable(), "h");
 
     autoPtr<psiChemistryModel> pChemistry(psiChemistryModel::New(thermo));
-    psiChemistryModel& chemistry = pChemistry();
 
     volScalarField rho
     (