diff --git a/lint_rules/lint_rules/debug_rules.py b/lint_rules/lint_rules/debug_rules.py
index 5061da53c..e30c3c2c2 100644
--- a/lint_rules/lint_rules/debug_rules.py
+++ b/lint_rules/lint_rules/debug_rules.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
      FindNodes, CallStatement, Assignment, Scalar, RangeIndex, resolve_associates,
      simplify, Sum, Product, IntLiteral, as_tuple, SubstituteExpressions, Array,
      symbolic_op, StringLiteral, is_constant, LogicLiteral, VariableDeclaration, flatten,
-     FindInlineCalls, Conditional, FindExpressions, Comparison
+     FindInlineCalls, Conditional, FindExpressions, Comparison, single_variable_declaration
 )
 from loki.lint import GenericRule, RuleType
 
@@ -284,11 +284,22 @@ def fix_subroutine(cls, subroutine, rule_report, config):
                 vtype = arg.type.clone(shape=new_shape, scope=subroutine)
                 new_vars += as_tuple(arg.clone(type=vtype, dimensions=new_shape, scope=subroutine))
 
-        #TODO: add 'VariableDeclaration.symbols' should be of type 'Variable' rather than 'Expression'
+        # simplify variable declarations
+        single_variable_declaration(subroutine)
+
+        #TODO: 'VariableDeclaration.symbols' should be of type 'Variable' rather than 'Expression'
         # to enable case-insensitive search here
         new_var_names = [v.name.lower() for v in new_vars]
-        subroutine.variables = [var for var in subroutine.variables if not var.name.lower() in new_var_names]
-        subroutine.variables += new_vars
+
+        routine = subroutine.clone()
+        routine.variables = [var for var in routine.variables if not var.name.lower() in new_var_names]
+        routine.variables += new_vars
+
+        old_decls = as_tuple([decl for decl in FindNodes(VariableDeclaration).visit(subroutine.spec)
+                     if decl.symbols[0].name.lower() in new_var_names])
+        new_decls = as_tuple([decl for decl in FindNodes(VariableDeclaration).visit(routine.spec)
+                     if decl.symbols[0].name.lower() in new_var_names])
+        node_map.update({old_decls: new_decls})
 
         return node_map
 
diff --git a/lint_rules/tests/test_debug_rules.py b/lint_rules/tests/test_debug_rules.py
index 08a8e3036..a5697c541 100644
--- a/lint_rules/tests/test_debug_rules.py
+++ b/lint_rules/tests/test_debug_rules.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 import pytest
 
 from conftest import run_linter, available_frontends
-from loki import Sourcefile, FindInlineCalls
+from loki import Sourcefile, FindInlineCalls, FindNodes, VariableDeclaration
 from loki.lint import DefaultHandler
 
 
@@ -229,4 +229,12 @@ def test_dynamic_ubound_checks(rules, frontend):
     assert all(s.name == d for s, d in zip(routine.variable_map['var0'].shape, shape))
     assert all(s.name == d for s, d in zip(routine.variable_map['var2'].shape, shape))
 
+    arg_names = ['klon', 'klev', 'nblk', 'var0', 'var1', 'var2']
+    assert [arg.name.lower() for arg in routine.arguments] == arg_names
+
+    # check that variable declarations have not been duplicated
+    symbols = [s.name.lower() for decl in FindNodes(VariableDeclaration).visit(routine.spec) for s in decl.symbols]
+    assert len(symbols) == 6
+    assert set(symbols) == {'klon', 'klev', 'nblk', 'var0', 'var1', 'var2'}
+
     os.remove(kernel.path)