diff --git a/src/rheology/StressUpdate.jl b/src/rheology/StressUpdate.jl
index dad50c08..81be9edb 100644
--- a/src/rheology/StressUpdate.jl
+++ b/src/rheology/StressUpdate.jl
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 # inner kernel to compute the plastic stress update within Pseudo-Transient stress continuation
 function _compute_τ_nonlinear!(
     τ::NTuple{N1,T},
-    τII,
     τ_old::NTuple{N1,T},
     ε::NTuple{N1,T},
     ε_pl::NTuple{N1,T},
diff --git a/src/stokes/Stokes2D.jl b/src/stokes/Stokes2D.jl
index e2d99029..3be0b181 100644
--- a/src/stokes/Stokes2D.jl
+++ b/src/stokes/Stokes2D.jl
@@ -393,7 +393,6 @@ function JustRelax.solve!(
 
             @parallel (@idx ni) compute_τ_nonlinear!(
                 @tensor_center(stokes.τ),
-                stokes.τ.II,
                 @tensor(stokes.τ_o),
                 @strain(stokes),
                 @tensor_center(stokes.ε_pl),
@@ -605,7 +604,6 @@ function JustRelax.solve!(
 
             @parallel (@idx ni) compute_τ_nonlinear!(
                 @tensor_center(stokes.τ),
-                stokes.τ.II,
                 @tensor_center(stokes.τ_o),
                 @strain(stokes),
                 @tensor_center(stokes.ε_pl),
diff --git a/src/stokes/Stokes3D.jl b/src/stokes/Stokes3D.jl
index 83f654fc..1a436268 100644
--- a/src/stokes/Stokes3D.jl
+++ b/src/stokes/Stokes3D.jl
@@ -282,7 +282,6 @@ function JustRelax.solve!(
 
             @parallel (@idx ni) compute_τ_nonlinear!(
                 @tensor_center(stokes.τ),
-                stokes.τ.II,
                 @tensor(stokes.τ_o),
                 @strain(stokes),
                 @tensor_center(stokes.ε_pl),
@@ -473,7 +472,6 @@ function JustRelax.solve!(
             # if !cte_viscosity
             @parallel (@idx ni) compute_τ_nonlinear!(
                 @tensor_center(stokes.τ),
-                stokes.τ.II,
                 @tensor_center(stokes.τ_o),
                 @strain(stokes),
                 @tensor_center(stokes.ε_pl),
diff --git a/src/stokes/StressKernels.jl b/src/stokes/StressKernels.jl
index c44ddd28..a08aa013 100644
--- a/src/stokes/StressKernels.jl
+++ b/src/stokes/StressKernels.jl
@@ -376,7 +376,6 @@ end
 
 @parallel_indices (I...) function compute_τ_nonlinear!(
     τ,     # @ centers
-    τII,   # @ centers
     τ_old, # @ centers
     ε,     # @ vertices
     ε_pl,  # @ centers
@@ -405,7 +404,7 @@ end
     plastic_parameters = (; is_pl, C, sinϕ, cosϕ, η_reg, volume)
 
     _compute_τ_nonlinear!(
-        τ, τII, τ_old, ε, ε_pl, P, ηij, η_vep, λ, dτ_r, _Gdt, plastic_parameters, I...
+        τ, τ_old, ε, ε_pl, P, ηij, η_vep, λ, dτ_r, _Gdt, plastic_parameters, I...
     )
 
     # augmented pressure with plastic volumetric strain over pressure
@@ -417,7 +416,6 @@ end
 # multi phase visco-elasto-plastic flow, where phases are defined in the cell center
 @parallel_indices (I...) function compute_τ_nonlinear!(
     τ,      # @ centers
-    τII,    # @ centers
     τ_old,  # @ centers
     ε,      # @ vertices
     ε_pl,   # @ centers
@@ -447,7 +445,7 @@ end
     plastic_parameters = (; is_pl, C, sinϕ, cosϕ, η_reg, volume)
 
     _compute_τ_nonlinear!(
-        τ, τII, τ_old, ε, ε_pl, P, ηij, η_vep, λ, dτ_r, _Gdt, plastic_parameters, I...
+        τ, τ_old, ε, ε_pl, P, ηij, η_vep, λ, dτ_r, _Gdt, plastic_parameters, I...
     )
     # augmented pressure with plastic volumetric strain over pressure
     @inbounds θ[I...] = P[I...] + (isinf(K) ? 0.0 : K * dt * λ[I...] * sinψ)