diff --git a/include/bout/coordinates.hxx b/include/bout/coordinates.hxx
index b6d100c48a..b586d524ec 100644
--- a/include/bout/coordinates.hxx
+++ b/include/bout/coordinates.hxx
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ public:
                                 const std::string& region = "RGN_ALL");
 
   void setJ(FieldMetric J);
+  void setJ(BoutReal value, int x, int y);
 
   void setBxy(FieldMetric Bxy);
 
diff --git a/src/mesh/coordinates.cxx b/src/mesh/coordinates.cxx
index f1780b46e9..cc8f137159 100644
--- a/src/mesh/coordinates.cxx
+++ b/src/mesh/coordinates.cxx
@@ -1885,6 +1885,11 @@ void Coordinates::setJ(FieldMetric J) {
   this_J = J;
 }
 
+void Coordinates::setJ(BoutReal value, int x, int y) {
+  //TODO: Calculate Bxy and check value is close
+  this_J(x, y) = value;
+}
+
 void Coordinates::setBxy(FieldMetric Bxy) {
   //TODO: Calculate Bxy and check value is close
   this_Bxy = Bxy;
diff --git a/tests/integrated/test-snb/test_snb.cxx b/tests/integrated/test-snb/test_snb.cxx
index 1b96bfc8b1..f16f678170 100644
--- a/tests/integrated/test-snb/test_snb.cxx
+++ b/tests/integrated/test-snb/test_snb.cxx
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
         double yn = (double(y) + 0.5) / double(mesh->yend + 1);
 
         coord->dy(x, y) = 1. - 0.9 * yn;
-        coord->J(x, y) = (1. + yn * yn);
+        coord->setJ((1. + yn * yn), x, y);
       }
     }
 
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     EXPECT_FALSE(IsFieldClose(Div_q, Div_q_SH, "RGN_NOBNDRY"));
 
     const Field2D dy = coord->dy;
-    const Field2D J = coord->J;
+    const Field2D J = coord->J();
 
     // Integrate Div(q) over domain
     BoutReal q_sh = 0.0;