diff --git a/templates/real-from-d2-ana/prepare_lbc_remote.sh b/templates/real-from-d2-ana/prepare_lbc_remote.sh
index a83d5e0760878498f6ee6a88fa9f79a6b9acd5bb..e052dd96de7ed3ab695fa2d7ec6a5c0f813dc70e 100644
--- a/templates/real-from-d2-ana/prepare_lbc_remote.sh
+++ b/templates/real-from-d2-ana/prepare_lbc_remote.sh
@@ -84,14 +84,12 @@ if [ "${LBC_DATA_IS_LOCAL}" != "True" ]; then
         --dest work/${MEMBER} \
         --output-format grb
 
-    # before 2022 wind field is only 3-hourly
-    if [ ${STARTDATE} -lt 2022010100 ]; then
-      if [ $((tt2 % 3)) -ne 0 ]; then
-        grib_copy work/${MEMBER}/iefff${EU_FC_TIME}0000.grb work/${MEMBER}/iefff${EU_FC_TIME}0000.grb_t -w shortName!=wz
-        mv work/${MEMBER}/iefff${EU_FC_TIME}0000.grb_t work/${MEMBER}/iefff${EU_FC_TIME}0000.grb
-        grib_set -s stepRange=$((tt2 * 60)),dataTime=0,dataDate=${STARTDATE:0:8} ${COMMON_DATE_FOLDER}/WZ.grib  work/${MEMBER}/WZ.grib
-        cat work/${MEMBER}/WZ.grib >> work/${MEMBER}/iefff${EU_FC_TIME}0000.grb
-    fi
+    # compensate missing vertical wind field
+    if [ $((tt2 % 3)) -ne 0 ]; then
+      grib_copy work/${MEMBER}/iefff${EU_FC_TIME}0000.grb work/${MEMBER}/iefff${EU_FC_TIME}0000.grb_t -w shortName!=wz
+      mv work/${MEMBER}/iefff${EU_FC_TIME}0000.grb_t work/${MEMBER}/iefff${EU_FC_TIME}0000.grb
+      grib_set -s stepRange=$((tt2 * 60)),dataTime=0,dataDate=${STARTDATE:0:8} ${COMMON_DATE_FOLDER}/WZ.grib  work/${MEMBER}/WZ.grib
+      cat work/${MEMBER}/WZ.grib >> work/${MEMBER}/iefff${EU_FC_TIME}0000.grb
     fi
 
     # rename to the comfortable style for ICON