diff --git a/src/biogeophys/TemperatureType.F90 b/src/biogeophys/TemperatureType.F90
index a256e22eb7..3771735bb7 100644
--- a/src/biogeophys/TemperatureType.F90
+++ b/src/biogeophys/TemperatureType.F90
@@ -163,10 +163,15 @@ subroutine Init(this, bounds, &
     logical           , intent(in) :: is_simple_buildtemp  ! Simple building temp is being used
     logical           , intent(in) :: is_prog_buildtemp    ! Prognostic building temp is being used
     real(r8)          , intent(in) :: exice_init_conc_col(bounds%begc:)  ! initial coldstart excess ice concentration (from the stream file)
-    character(len=*)  , intent(in) :: NLFilename ! Namelist filename
+    character(len=*)  , intent(in), optional :: NLFilename ! Namelist filename
 
 
-    call this%ReadNL(NLFilename)
+    if ( present(NLFilename) ) then
+       call this%ReadNL(NLFilename)
+    else ! this is needed for testing
+       this%excess_ice_coldstart_depth = 0.5_r8
+       this%excess_ice_coldstart_temp  = -5.0_r8
+    endif
     call this%InitAllocate ( bounds )
     call this%InitHistory ( bounds, is_simple_buildtemp, is_prog_buildtemp )
     call this%InitCold ( bounds,                  &
diff --git a/src/unit_test_shr/unittestDustEmisInputs.F90 b/src/unit_test_shr/unittestDustEmisInputs.F90
index 6b15680ef7..af3ad63890 100644
--- a/src/unit_test_shr/unittestDustEmisInputs.F90
+++ b/src/unit_test_shr/unittestDustEmisInputs.F90
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ subroutine setUp(this)
 
     character(len=5) :: NLFilename = 'none'
     real(r8), allocatable :: urb_em(:)
+    real(r8), allocatable :: exice_init_conc_col(:)
     integer :: begl, endl, begc, endc
     integer :: c
     type(atm2lnd_params_type) :: atm2lnd_params
@@ -91,12 +92,15 @@ subroutine setUp(this)
     call this%frictionvel_inst%InitForTesting(bounds)
     allocate( urb_em(begl:endl) )
     urb_em(begl:endl) = 0.99_r8  ! Arbitrary won't matter here
+    allocate( exice_init_conc_col(begc:endc) )
+    exice_init_conc_col(begc:endc) = 0.0_r8 ! zero, so it doesn't affect anything.
     call this%temperature_inst%Init(bounds,           &
                                em_roof_lun=urb_em(begl:endl), &
                                em_wall_lun=urb_em(begl:endl), &
                                em_improad_lun=urb_em(begl:endl), &
                                em_perroad_lun=urb_em(begl:endl), &
-                               is_simple_buildtemp=.true., is_prog_buildtemp=.false.)
+                               is_simple_buildtemp=.true., is_prog_buildtemp=.false., &
+                               exice_init_conc_col = exice_init_conc_col(begc:endc))
     deallocate( urb_em )
   end subroutine setUp
 
diff --git a/src/unit_test_shr/unittestWaterTypeFactory.F90 b/src/unit_test_shr/unittestWaterTypeFactory.F90
index 06362ee1d0..2d83fd0058 100644
--- a/src/unit_test_shr/unittestWaterTypeFactory.F90
+++ b/src/unit_test_shr/unittestWaterTypeFactory.F90
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ subroutine create_water_type(this, water_inst, &
     end if
 
     if (present(exice_init_conc_col)) then
-       SHR_ASSERT_ALL_FL((ubound(exice_init_conc_col,1) == bounds%enc), sourcefile, __LINE__)
+       SHR_ASSERT_ALL_FL((ubound(exice_init_conc_col,1) == bounds%endc), sourcefile, __LINE__)
     endif
 
     if (present(enable_consistency_checks)) then
@@ -177,9 +177,9 @@ subroutine create_water_type(this, water_inst, &
        l_exice_coldstart_depth = 0.5_r8
     endif
     if (present(exice_init_conc_col)) then
-       l_exice_init_conc_col(:,:) = exice_init_conc_col
+       l_exice_init_conc_col(:) = exice_init_conc_col
     else
-       l_exice_init_conc_col(:,:) = 0.01_r8
+       l_exice_init_conc_col(:) = 0.0_r8
     endif
 
     call water_inst%InitForTesting(bounds, params, &