diff --git a/driver/fvGFS/atmosphere.F90 b/driver/fvGFS/atmosphere.F90
index 3d581cb2b..6718cc005 100644
--- a/driver/fvGFS/atmosphere.F90
+++ b/driver/fvGFS/atmosphere.F90
@@ -308,11 +308,13 @@ subroutine atmosphere_init (Time_init, Time, Time_step, Grid_box, area)
    logical :: chksum_debug = .false.
    logical :: dycore_only  = .false.
    logical :: debug        = .false.
+   logical :: merge_import = .true.
+   logical :: debug_merge  = .false.
    logical :: sync         = .false.
    integer, parameter     :: maxhr = 4096
    real, dimension(maxhr) :: fdiag = 0.
    real                   :: fhmax=384.0, fhmaxhf=120.0, fhout=3.0, fhouthf=1.0,avg_max_length=3600.
-   namelist /atmos_model_nml/ blocksize, chksum_debug, dycore_only, debug, sync, fdiag, fhmax, fhmaxhf, fhout, fhouthf, ccpp_suite, avg_max_length
+   namelist /atmos_model_nml/ blocksize, chksum_debug, dycore_only, debug, sync, fdiag, fhmax, fhmaxhf, fhout, fhouthf, ccpp_suite, avg_max_length, merge_import, debug_merge
    ! *DH 20210326
 
    !For regional