diff --git a/OpenFAST/modules/elastodyn/src/ElastoDyn_IO.f90 b/OpenFAST/modules/elastodyn/src/ElastoDyn_IO.f90
index 1574a2e79..3c9ffbb70 100644
--- a/OpenFAST/modules/elastodyn/src/ElastoDyn_IO.f90
+++ b/OpenFAST/modules/elastodyn/src/ElastoDyn_IO.f90
@@ -4714,9 +4714,10 @@ SUBROUTINE ValidateModeShapeCoeffs( Coeffs, ShpDesc, ErrStat, ErrMsg )
    CHARACTER(*),             INTENT(IN)     :: ShpDesc                             !< Description of the mode shape for the error message
    INTEGER(IntKi),           INTENT(OUT)    :: ErrStat                             !< Error status
    CHARACTER(*),             INTENT(OUT)    :: ErrMsg                              !< Error message
-
+   
       ! local variables
    REAL(ReKi)                               :: Displ                               ! Blade tip/tower top displacement for a mode shape
+   REAL(ReKi)                               :: tol                               
 
 
       ! Check that the mode shape coefficients add to 1.0:
@@ -4724,9 +4725,15 @@ SUBROUTINE ValidateModeShapeCoeffs( Coeffs, ShpDesc, ErrStat, ErrMsg )
    Displ = SUM( Coeffs )
 ! bjj this new check seems to be a bit too restrictive for the input data:
 !   IF ( .NOT. EqualRealNos( Displ, 1.0_ReKi ) ) THEN
-   IF ( ABS( Displ - 1.0_ReKi ) > 0.0015_ReKi ) THEN
+   IF (maxval( Coeffs ) > 1e4_ReKi )THEN ! Large coefficients might cause problems with precision
+      tol = 0.01_ReKi
+   ELSE
+      tol = 0.0015_ReKi
+   ENDIF
+
+   IF ( ABS( Displ - 1.0_ReKi ) > tol ) THEN
       ErrStat = ErrID_Fatal
-      ErrMsg  = ' Mode shape coefficients for '//TRIM(ShpDesc)//' must add to 1.0.'
+      ErrMsg  = ' Mode shape coefficients for '//TRIM(ShpDesc)//' must add to 1.0 but they equal'//TRIM( Num2LStr( Displ ))//'.'
    ELSE
       ErrStat = ErrID_None
       ErrMsg  = ''