diff --git a/parm/model_configure b/parm/model_configure
index fa2472e336..1b0f7a815a 100644
--- a/parm/model_configure
+++ b/parm/model_configure
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ cpl:                     {{ cpl }}
 calendar:                'julian'
 memuse_verbose:          .false.
 atmos_nthreads:          {{ atmos_nthreads }}
-restart_interval:        {{ restart_interval }}  -1
+restart_interval:        {{ restart_interval }}
 output_1st_tstep_rst:    .false.
 write_dopost:            {{ write_dopost }}
 ideflate:                0
diff --git a/tests/WE2E/test_configs/wflow_features/config.specify_RESTART_INTERVAL.yaml b/tests/WE2E/test_configs/wflow_features/config.specify_RESTART_INTERVAL.yaml
index 954576895b..4b31015735 100644
--- a/tests/WE2E/test_configs/wflow_features/config.specify_RESTART_INTERVAL.yaml
+++ b/tests/WE2E/test_configs/wflow_features/config.specify_RESTART_INTERVAL.yaml
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@ metadata:
   description: |-
     This test checks the capability of the workflow to have the time
     interval (RESTART_INTERVAL) at which restart files are written by the
-    forecast model be set to a user-specified value.
+    forecast model be set to user-specified values.
 user:
   RUN_ENVIR: community
 workflow:
-  CCPP_PHYS_SUITE: FV3_GFS_v15p2
+  CCPP_PHYS_SUITE: FV3_GFS_v16
   PREDEF_GRID_NAME: RRFS_CONUS_25km
   DATE_FIRST_CYCL: '2019070100'
   DATE_LAST_CYCL: '2019070100'
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ task_get_extrn_ics:
   USE_USER_STAGED_EXTRN_FILES: true
 task_get_extrn_lbcs:
   EXTRN_MDL_NAME_LBCS: FV3GFS
-  LBC_SPEC_INTVL_HRS: 3
+  LBC_SPEC_INTVL_HRS: 6
   USE_USER_STAGED_EXTRN_FILES: true
 task_run_fcst:
-  RESTART_INTERVAL: 1
+  RESTART_INTERVAL: 1 2 5
diff --git a/ush/config_defaults.yaml b/ush/config_defaults.yaml
index 295fc17781..e9976a8e95 100644
--- a/ush/config_defaults.yaml
+++ b/ush/config_defaults.yaml
@@ -1490,8 +1490,10 @@ task_run_fcst:
   # RESTART_INTERVAL:
   # frequency of the output restart files (unit:hour). 
   # Default=0: restart files are produced at the end of a forecast run
-  # For example, RESTART_INTERVAL: 1: restart files are produced every hour
-  # with the prefix "YYYYMMDD.HHmmSS." in the RESTART directory
+  # For example, i) RESTART_INTERVAL: 1 -1 => restart files are produced 
+  # every hour with the prefix "YYYYMMDD.HHmmSS." in the RESTART directory
+  # ii) RESTART_INTERVAL: 1 2 5 => restart files are produced only when 
+  # fh = 1, 2, and 5.
   #
   # WRITE_DOPOST:
   # Flag that determines whether or not to use the inline post feature 
diff --git a/ush/setup.py b/ush/setup.py
index 572433459f..58d50775ad 100644
--- a/ush/setup.py
+++ b/ush/setup.py
@@ -569,12 +569,6 @@ def get_location(xcs, fmt):
               FCST_MODEL = '{FCST_MODEL}'"""
         )
 
-    # Make sure RESTART_INTERVAL is set to an integer value
-    if not isinstance(RESTART_INTERVAL, int):
-        raise Exception(
-            f"\nRESTART_INTERVAL = {RESTART_INTERVAL}, must be an integer value\n"
-        )
-
     # Check that input dates are in a date format
 
     # get dictionary of all variables