diff --git a/Registry/Registry.EM_COMMON b/Registry/Registry.EM_COMMON
index 64edbdc41f..893029347f 100644
--- a/Registry/Registry.EM_COMMON
+++ b/Registry/Registry.EM_COMMON
@@ -2578,7 +2578,7 @@ rconfig   integer slope_rad               namelist,physics      max_domains    0
 rconfig   integer topo_shading            namelist,physics      max_domains    0       -     "topo_shading" "1: apply topographic shading to radiation, 0:not" ""
 rconfig   integer topo_wind               namelist,physics      max_domains    0       -     "topo_wind"  "2: Use Mass sfc drag scheme, 1: improve effects topography over surface wind, 0:not" ""
 rconfig   integer no_mp_heating           namelist,physics      1              0       -     "no_mp_heating" "switch to turn of latent heating in mp schemes"   ""
-rconfig   integer fractional_seaice       namelist,physics      1              1       -     "fractional_seaice" "Fractional sea-ice option"
+rconfig   integer fractional_seaice       namelist,physics      1              0       -     "fractional_seaice" "Fractional sea-ice option"
 rconfig   integer seaice_snowdepth_opt    namelist,physics      1              0       -     "seaice_snowdepth_opt" "Method for treating snow depth on sea ice"
 rconfig   real    seaice_snowdepth_max    namelist,physics      1          1.E10       -     "seaice_snowdepth_max" "Maximum allowed accumulation (m) of snow on sea ice"
 rconfig   real    seaice_snowdepth_min    namelist,physics      1          0.001       -     "seaice_snowdepth_min" "Minimum snow depth (m) on sea ice"
diff --git a/test/em_real/namelist.input b/test/em_real/namelist.input
index 2f1e37acb1..9d87a7b759 100644
--- a/test/em_real/namelist.input
+++ b/test/em_real/namelist.input
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
  icloud                              = 1,
  num_land_cat                        = 21,
  sf_urban_physics                    = 0,     0,     0,
+ fractional_seaice                   = 1,
  /
 
  &fdda
diff --git a/test/em_real/namelist.input.global b/test/em_real/namelist.input.global
index d1ae9f0044..9e967543a5 100644
--- a/test/em_real/namelist.input.global
+++ b/test/em_real/namelist.input.global
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
  cudt                                = 0,     0,     0,
  icloud                              = 1,
  num_land_cat                        = 21,
+ fractional_seaice                   = 1,
  /
 
  &fdda
diff --git a/test/em_real/namelist.input.jan00 b/test/em_real/namelist.input.jan00
index 187512d9d3..2860c9d0f3 100644
--- a/test/em_real/namelist.input.jan00
+++ b/test/em_real/namelist.input.jan00
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
  cu_rad_feedback                     = .true.,.true.,.false.,
  num_land_cat                        = 21,
  sf_urban_physics                    = 0,     0,     0,
+ fractional_seaice                   = 1,
  /
 
  &fdda