diff --git a/flopy/mf6/data/mfdatastorage.py b/flopy/mf6/data/mfdatastorage.py
index 5441936ffb..86fc50e246 100644
--- a/flopy/mf6/data/mfdatastorage.py
+++ b/flopy/mf6/data/mfdatastorage.py
@@ -2012,6 +2012,7 @@ def external_to_internal(
                     self._data_type,
                     self.get_data_dimensions(layer),
                     layer,
+                    self.layered,
                     read_file,
                 )[0]
             if apply_mult and self.layer_storage[layer].factor is not None:
@@ -2470,6 +2471,7 @@ def _build_full_data(self, apply_multiplier=False):
                             np_data_type,
                             self.get_data_dimensions(layer),
                             layer,
+                            self.layered,
                             read_file,
                         )[0]
                         * mult
diff --git a/flopy/mf6/data/mffileaccess.py b/flopy/mf6/data/mffileaccess.py
index 237a8cba00..73f19f92b3 100644
--- a/flopy/mf6/data/mffileaccess.py
+++ b/flopy/mf6/data/mffileaccess.py
@@ -577,14 +577,17 @@ def read_text_data_from_file(
         data_type,
         data_dim,
         layer,
+        layered,
         fname=None,
         fd=None,
-        data_item=None,
     ):
         # determine line size
         line_size = None
-        if isinstance(data_dim, list):
-            line_size = data_dim[-1]
+        if layered:
+            # if the array is layered (meaning a control record for
+            # each layer), then limit line size to number of columns
+            if isinstance(data_dim, list):
+                line_size = data_dim[-1]
         # load variable data from file
         current_size = 0
         if layer is None:
@@ -894,6 +897,7 @@ def _load_layer(
                     data_type,
                     storage.get_data_dimensions(layer),
                     layer,
+                    storage.layered,
                     fd=file_handle,
                 )
             except Exception as ex: