The dependence of the coercivity H-c on the applied stress sigma in the surfaces of various amorphous ribbons with positive magnetostriction is studied. The results obtained show that the behaviour of H-c(sigma) in the surfaces is the same as in the bulk and the minimum of H-c(sigma) does not depend on the residual stresses. The residual stresses affect the value of the coercive field but not its stress dependence. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.