diff --git a/nifty6/operators/energy_operators.py b/nifty6/operators/energy_operators.py
index 7ffe9d807b4c856e0fcf7f04f9529ce10c7bdaf1..a037c66bcf74a09fefac1d680740119690ea5300 100644
--- a/nifty6/operators/energy_operators.py
+++ b/nifty6/operators/energy_operators.py
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ class VariableCovarianceGaussianEnergy(EnergyOperator):
         res1 = x[self._icov].log().sum()
         res = 0.5*(res0-res1)
         if not lin:
-            return res
+            return Field.scalar(res)
         if not x.want_metric:
             return res
         mf = {self._r: x.val[self._icov], self._icov: .5*x.val[self._icov]**(-2)}