diff --git a/config_src/drivers/solo_driver/MOM_driver.F90 b/config_src/drivers/solo_driver/MOM_driver.F90
index 6f33e22cd7..c2cd0a248c 100644
--- a/config_src/drivers/solo_driver/MOM_driver.F90
+++ b/config_src/drivers/solo_driver/MOM_driver.F90
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ program MOM_main
   use MOM_ice_shelf,       only : initialize_ice_shelf, ice_shelf_end, ice_shelf_CS
   use MOM_ice_shelf,       only : shelf_calc_flux, add_shelf_forces, ice_shelf_save_restart
   use MOM_ice_shelf,       only : initialize_ice_shelf_fluxes, initialize_ice_shelf_forces
+  use MOM_ice_shelf,       only : ice_shelf_query
   use MOM_interpolate,     only : time_interp_external_init
   use MOM_io,              only : file_exists, open_ASCII_file, close_file
   use MOM_io,              only : check_nml_error, io_infra_init, io_infra_end
@@ -177,6 +178,8 @@ program MOM_main
   type(surface_forcing_CS),  pointer :: surface_forcing_CSp => NULL()
   type(write_cputime_CS),    pointer :: write_CPU_CSp => NULL()
   type(ice_shelf_CS),        pointer :: ice_shelf_CSp => NULL()
+  logical                            :: override_shelf_fluxes !< If true, and shelf dynamics are active,
+                                        !! the data_override feature is enabled (only for MOSAIC grid types)
   type(wave_parameters_cs),  pointer :: waves_CSp => NULL()
   type(MOM_restart_CS),      pointer :: &
     restart_CSp => NULL()     !< A pointer to the restart control structure
@@ -303,7 +306,8 @@ program MOM_main
     ! when using an ice shelf
     call initialize_ice_shelf_fluxes(ice_shelf_CSp, grid, US, fluxes)
     call initialize_ice_shelf_forces(ice_shelf_CSp, grid, US, forces)
-    call data_override_init(Ocean_Domain_in=grid%domain%mpp_domain)
+    call ice_shelf_query(ice_shelf_CSp, grid, data_override_shelf_fluxes=override_shelf_fluxes)
+    if (override_shelf_fluxes) call data_override_init(Ocean_Domain_in=grid%domain%mpp_domain)
   endif
 
 
diff --git a/src/ice_shelf/MOM_ice_shelf.F90 b/src/ice_shelf/MOM_ice_shelf.F90
index 320c09645b..7332e79b68 100644
--- a/src/ice_shelf/MOM_ice_shelf.F90
+++ b/src/ice_shelf/MOM_ice_shelf.F90
@@ -161,6 +161,8 @@ module MOM_ice_shelf
                                          !! equation of state to use.
   logical :: active_shelf_dynamics       !< True if the ice shelf mass changes as a result
                                          !! the dynamic ice-shelf model.
+  logical :: data_override_shelf_fluxes  !< True if the ice shelf surface mass fluxes can be
+                                         !! written using the data_override feature (only for MOSAIC grids)
   logical :: override_shelf_movement     !< If true, user code specifies the shelf movement
                                          !! instead of using the dynamic ice-shelf mode.
   logical :: isthermo                    !< True if the ice shelf can exchange heat and
@@ -323,7 +325,7 @@ subroutine shelf_calc_flux(sfc_state_in, fluxes_in, Time, time_step, CS)
   G => CS%grid ; US => CS%US
   ISS => CS%ISS
 
-  if (CS%active_shelf_dynamics) then
+  if (CS%data_override_shelf_fluxes .and. CS%active_shelf_dynamics) then
        call data_override(G%Domain, 'shelf_sfc_mass_flux', fluxes_in%shelf_sfc_mass_flux, CS%Time, &
                           scale=US%kg_m3_to_R*US%m_to_Z)
   endif
@@ -1274,7 +1276,7 @@ subroutine initialize_ice_shelf(param_file, ocn_grid, Time, CS, diag, forces_in,
   allocate(CS%Grid)
   call MOM_domains_init(CS%Grid%domain, param_file, min_halo=wd_halos, symmetric=GRID_SYM_,&
        domain_name='MOM_Ice_Shelf_in')
-!  allocate(CS%Grid_in%HI)
+  !allocate(CS%Grid_in%HI)
   !call hor_index_init(CS%Grid%Domain, CS%Grid%HI, param_file, &
   !     local_indexing=.not.global_indexing)
   call MOM_grid_init(CS%Grid, param_file, CS%US)
@@ -1363,6 +1365,11 @@ subroutine initialize_ice_shelf(param_file, ocn_grid, Time, CS, diag, forces_in,
                  "If true, user provided code specifies the ice-shelf "//&
                  "movement instead of the dynamic ice model.", default=.false.)
     CS%active_shelf_dynamics = .not.CS%override_shelf_movement
+    call get_param(param_file, mdl, "DATA_OVERRIDE_SHELF_FLUXES", &
+                  CS%data_override_shelf_fluxes, &
+                 "If true, the data override feature is used to write "//&
+                 "the surface mass flux deposition. This option is only "//&
+                 "available for MOSAIC grid types.", default=.false.)
     call get_param(param_file, mdl, "GROUNDING_LINE_INTERPOLATE", CS%GL_regularize, &
                  "If true, regularize the floatation condition at the "//&
                  "grounding line as in Goldberg Holland Schoof 2009.", default=.false.)
@@ -2043,12 +2050,13 @@ subroutine update_shelf_mass(G, US, CS, ISS, Time)
 end subroutine update_shelf_mass
 
 !> Save the ice shelf restart file
-subroutine ice_shelf_query(CS, G, frac_shelf_h, mass_shelf)
+subroutine ice_shelf_query(CS, G, frac_shelf_h, mass_shelf, data_override_shelf_fluxes)
   type(ice_shelf_CS),         pointer    :: CS !< ice shelf control structure
   type(ocean_grid_type), intent(in)      :: G  !< A pointer to an ocean grid control structure.
   real, optional, dimension(SZI_(G),SZJ_(G)), intent(out)  :: frac_shelf_h !< Ice shelf area fraction [nodim].
   real, optional, dimension(SZI_(G),SZJ_(G)), intent(out)  :: mass_shelf !<Ice shelf mass [R Z -> kg m-2]
-
+  logical, optional                      :: data_override_shelf_fluxes !< If true, shelf fluxes can be written using
+                                               !! the data_override capability (only for MOSAIC grids)
 
   integer :: i, j
 
@@ -2066,6 +2074,11 @@ subroutine ice_shelf_query(CS, G, frac_shelf_h, mass_shelf)
     enddo ; enddo
   endif
 
+  if (present(data_override_shelf_fluxes)) then
+     data_override_shelf_fluxes=.false.
+     if (CS%active_shelf_dynamics) data_override_shelf_fluxes = CS%data_override_shelf_fluxes
+  endif
+
 end subroutine ice_shelf_query
 
 !> Save the ice shelf restart file