diff --git a/nifty_core.py b/nifty_core.py
index 1610a8c50b1832429d6dd7e72ca976293661518f..4cf168a5325c5dd543858e192bec8ab1489ae1c3 100644
--- a/nifty_core.py
+++ b/nifty_core.py
@@ -6192,7 +6192,7 @@ class field(object):
     ##+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
     def __len__(self):
-        return int(self.dim(split=False))
+        return int(self.dim(split=True)[0])
 
     def __getitem__(self,key):
         return self.val[key]