diff --git a/galpy/potential/verticalPotential.py b/galpy/potential/verticalPotential.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/galpy/potential/verticalPotential.py
+++ b/galpy/potential/verticalPotential.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from .linearPotential import linearPotential
-from .Potential import PotentialError, Potential
+from .Potential import PotentialError, Potential, flatten
 _APY_LOADED= True
 try:
     from astropy import units
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ def RZToverticalPotential(RZPot,R):
        2010-07-21 - Written - Bovy (NYU)
 
     """
+    RZPot= flatten(RZPot)
     if _APY_LOADED and isinstance(R,units.Quantity):
         if hasattr(RZPot,'_ro'):
             R= R.to(units.kpc).value/RZPot._ro
@@ -147,6 +148,7 @@ def toVerticalPotential(Pot,R,phi=None):
        2018-10-07 - Written - Bovy (UofT)
 
     """
+    Pot= flatten(Pot)
     if _APY_LOADED:
         if isinstance(R,units.Quantity):
             if hasattr(Pot,'_ro'):
Flatten potential before converting to verticalPotential