diff --git a/src/coreComponents/common/Units.hpp b/src/coreComponents/common/Units.hpp
index 8bfdc04ca80..693c3a13f75 100644
--- a/src/coreComponents/common/Units.hpp
+++ b/src/coreComponents/common/Units.hpp
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@ namespace geos
 namespace units
 {
 
+/// Darcy to m^2 conversion factor
+static constexpr double DarcyToSqM = 9.869233e-13;
 
 /**
  * @return the input Kelvin degrees converted in Celsius
diff --git a/src/coreComponents/constitutive/capillaryPressure/JFunctionCapillaryPressure.cpp b/src/coreComponents/constitutive/capillaryPressure/JFunctionCapillaryPressure.cpp
index 908c42604b4..3e67db4b27b 100644
--- a/src/coreComponents/constitutive/capillaryPressure/JFunctionCapillaryPressure.cpp
+++ b/src/coreComponents/constitutive/capillaryPressure/JFunctionCapillaryPressure.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "constitutive/capillaryPressure/CapillaryPressureFields.hpp"
 #include "constitutive/capillaryPressure/TableCapillaryPressureHelpers.hpp"
 #include "functions/FunctionManager.hpp"
+#include "common/Units.hpp"
 
 namespace geos
 {
@@ -250,7 +251,8 @@ void JFunctionCapillaryPressure::saveConvergedRockState( arrayView2d< real64 con
     {
       permeability = convergedPermeability[ei][0][2];
     }
-    GEOS_ERROR_IF( permeability < LvArray::NumericLimits< real64 >::epsilon, "Zero permeability in J-function capillary pressure" );
+    // multiply epsilon by Darcy to sq m factor
+    GEOS_ERROR_IF( permeability < LvArray::NumericLimits< real64 >::epsilon * units::DarcyToSqM, "Zero permeability in J-function capillary pressure" );
 
     // here we compute an average of the porosity over quadrature points
     // this average is exact for tets, regular pyramids/wedges/hexes, or for VEM