diff --git a/src/surfaceFilmModels/surfaceFilmModel/surfaceFilmModel/surfaceFilmModel.C b/src/surfaceFilmModels/surfaceFilmModel/surfaceFilmModel/surfaceFilmModel.C
index bdb4a4c75f..9ac01432fb 100644
--- a/src/surfaceFilmModels/surfaceFilmModel/surfaceFilmModel/surfaceFilmModel.C
+++ b/src/surfaceFilmModels/surfaceFilmModel/surfaceFilmModel/surfaceFilmModel.C
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ Foam::surfaceFilmModels::surfaceFilmModel::surfaceFilmModel
 {
     if (active_)
     {
-        filmRegionName_ = lookup("filmRegionName");
+        lookup("filmRegionName") >> filmRegionName_;
         coeffs_ = subDict(type + "Coeffs");
         thermoModel_ =
             thermoModelTypeNames_.read(coeffs_.lookup("thermoModel"));