diff --git a/src/mat/interface/matrix.c b/src/mat/interface/matrix.c
index 2e0ce8c..f2dbbc0 100644
--- a/src/mat/interface/matrix.c
+++ b/src/mat/interface/matrix.c
@@ -7519,6 +7519,8 @@ PetscErrorCode  MatGetSubMatrix(Mat mat,IS isrow,IS iscol,MatReuse cll,Mat *newm
             if (cll == MAT_INITIAL_MATRIX) {
               *newmat = mat;
               ierr    = PetscObjectReference((PetscObject)mat);CHKERRQ(ierr);
+            } else {
+              ierr = MatCopy(mat,*newmat,SAME_NONZERO_PATTERN);CHKERRQ(ierr);
             }
             PetscFunctionReturn(0);
           }