diff --git a/physics/SFC_Models/Land/RUC/lsm_ruc.F90 b/physics/SFC_Models/Land/RUC/lsm_ruc.F90
index f2961d5e7..3b8bc0087 100644
--- a/physics/SFC_Models/Land/RUC/lsm_ruc.F90
+++ b/physics/SFC_Models/Land/RUC/lsm_ruc.F90
@@ -459,8 +459,9 @@ subroutine lsm_ruc_run                                            & ! inputs
      ! for ice
      &       sncovr1_ice, qsurf_ice, gflux_ice, evap_ice, ep1d_ice,      &
      &       cmm_ice, chh_ice, hflx_ice,                                 &
-     &       acsnow_ice, snowmt_ice
-
+     &       snowmt_ice
+      real (kind_phys), dimension(:), intent(inout), optional ::         &
+             acsnow_ice
       real (kind_phys), dimension(:), intent(  out) ::                   &
      &       albdvis_lnd, albdnir_lnd,  albivis_lnd,  albinir_lnd
       real (kind_phys), dimension(:), intent(  out), optional ::         &
diff --git a/physics/SFC_Models/Land/RUC/lsm_ruc.meta b/physics/SFC_Models/Land/RUC/lsm_ruc.meta
index 0abe4ada3..eac6a06be 100644
--- a/physics/SFC_Models/Land/RUC/lsm_ruc.meta
+++ b/physics/SFC_Models/Land/RUC/lsm_ruc.meta
@@ -1653,6 +1653,7 @@
   type = real
   kind = kind_phys
   intent = inout
+  optional = True
 [snowmt_ice]
   standard_name = surface_snow_melt_over_ice
   long_name = snow melt during timestep over ice