diff --git a/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/spellability/SpellAbility.java b/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/spellability/SpellAbility.java
index 514768d8b1b..a5ec619038d 100644
--- a/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/spellability/SpellAbility.java
+++ b/forge-game/src/main/java/forge/game/spellability/SpellAbility.java
@@ -2699,7 +2699,9 @@ public abstract class SpellAbility extends CardTraitBase implements ISpellAbilit
     }
     public void setMaxWaterbend(Cost cost) {
         if (cost == null || cost.getMaxWaterbend() == null) {
-            maxWaterbend = 0;
+            if (maxWaterbend != null) {
+                maxWaterbend = 0;
+            }
             return;
         }
         maxWaterbend = AbilityUtils.calculateAmount(getHostCard(), cost.getMaxWaterbend(), this);