diff --git a/src/MAIN_NEMS.F90 b/src/MAIN_NEMS.F90
index c25c6831..ac47df36 100644
--- a/src/MAIN_NEMS.F90
+++ b/src/MAIN_NEMS.F90
@@ -509,6 +509,7 @@ PROGRAM MAIN_NEMS
       CALL ESMF_ConfigGetAttribute(config = CF_MAIN                     &
                                   ,value  = RUN_CONTINUE                &
                                   ,label  = 'RUN_CONTINUE:'             &
+                                  ,default= .false.                     &
                                   ,rc     = RC)
       ESMF_ERR_ABORT(RC)
 ! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
diff --git a/src/module_NEMS_GRID_COMP.F90 b/src/module_NEMS_GRID_COMP.F90
index d0d0436b..e0593f1c 100644
--- a/src/module_NEMS_GRID_COMP.F90
+++ b/src/module_NEMS_GRID_COMP.F90
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ SUBROUTINE NEMS_INITIALIZE(NEMS_GRID_COMP                         &
                                   ,value  = ENS_SPS                     &  !<-- Value of control flag for 
                                                                            !    stochastic perturbation scheme
                                   ,label  = 'ENS_SPS:'                  &  !<-- Flag's label in configure file
+                                  ,default= .false.                     &
                                   ,rc     = RC)
       ESMF_ERR_RETURN(RC,RC_INIT)
 !
@@ -368,6 +369,7 @@ SUBROUTINE NEMS_INITIALIZE(NEMS_GRID_COMP                         &
       CALL ESMF_ConfigGetAttribute(config = CF_NEMS                     &  !<-- The NEMS configure object
                                   ,value  = TOTAL_MEMBER                &  !<-- Total # of ensemble members
                                   ,label  = 'total_member:'             &  !<-- Flag in configure file 
+                                  ,default= 1                           &
                                   ,rc     = RC)
       ESMF_ERR_RETURN(RC,RC_INIT)
 !