diff --git a/ccpp/physics b/ccpp/physics
index 7b02d419c..013844aab 160000
--- a/ccpp/physics
+++ b/ccpp/physics
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 7b02d419cf8d2319576d1fd37ee48a7e92409739
+Subproject commit 013844aab416d0089e48f7d813b4c51dc2e04288
diff --git a/scm/src/GFS_typedefs.F90 b/scm/src/GFS_typedefs.F90
index fa8ae84dd..07dc135ea 100644
--- a/scm/src/GFS_typedefs.F90
+++ b/scm/src/GFS_typedefs.F90
@@ -880,6 +880,7 @@ module GFS_typedefs
 
     !--- Thompson's microphysical parameters
     logical              :: ltaerosol       !< flag for aerosol version
+    logical              :: mraerosol       !< flag for merra2_aerosol_aware
     logical              :: lradar          !< flag for radar reflectivity
     real(kind=kind_phys) :: nsradar_reset   !< seconds between resetting radar reflectivity calculation
     real(kind=kind_phys) :: ttendlim        !< temperature tendency limiter per time step in K/s
@@ -2763,7 +2764,7 @@ subroutine coupling_create (Coupling, IM, Model)
     endif
 
     !--- needed for Thompson's aerosol option
-    if(Model%imp_physics == Model%imp_physics_thompson .and. Model%ltaerosol) then
+    if(Model%imp_physics == Model%imp_physics_thompson .and. (Model%ltaerosol .or. Model%mraerosol)) then
       allocate (Coupling%nwfa2d (IM))
       allocate (Coupling%nifa2d (IM))
       Coupling%nwfa2d   = clear_val
@@ -3051,6 +3052,7 @@ subroutine control_initialize (Model, nlunit, fn_nml, me, master, &
 
     !--- Thompson microphysical parameters
     logical              :: ltaerosol      = .false.            !< flag for aerosol version
+    logical              :: mraerosol      = .false.            !< flag for merra2_aerosol_aware
     logical              :: lradar         = .false.            !< flag for radar reflectivity
     real(kind=kind_phys) :: nsradar_reset  = -999.0             !< seconds between resetting radar reflectivity calculation, set to <0 for every time step
     real(kind=kind_phys) :: ttendlim       = -999.0             !< temperature tendency limiter, set to <0 to deactivate
@@ -3453,7 +3455,7 @@ subroutine control_initialize (Model, nlunit, fn_nml, me, master, &
                                use_LW_jacobian, doGP_lwscat, damp_LW_fluxadj, lfnc_k,       &
                                lfnc_p0, iovr_convcld, doGP_sgs_cnv, doGP_sgs_mynn,          &
                           ! IN CCN forcing
-                               iccn,                                                        &
+                               iccn, mraerosol,                                             &
                           !--- microphysical parameterizations
                                imp_physics, psautco, prautco, evpco, wminco,                &
                                fprcp, pdfflag, mg_dcs, mg_qcvar, mg_ts_auto_ice, mg_rhmini, &
@@ -4011,6 +4013,11 @@ subroutine control_initialize (Model, nlunit, fn_nml, me, master, &
 
 !--- Thompson MP parameters
     Model%ltaerosol        = ltaerosol
+    Model%mraerosol        = mraerosol
+    if (Model%ltaerosol .and. Model%mraerosol) then
+      write(0,*) 'Logic error: Only one Thompson aerosol option can be true, either ltaerosol or mraerosol)'
+      stop
+    end if
     Model%lradar           = lradar
     Model%nsradar_reset    = nsradar_reset
     Model%ttendlim         = ttendlim
@@ -5298,6 +5305,7 @@ subroutine control_initialize (Model, nlunit, fn_nml, me, master, &
       end if
       if (Model%me == Model%master) print *,' Using Thompson double moment microphysics', &
                                           ' ltaerosol = ',Model%ltaerosol, &
+                                          ' mraerosol = ',Model%mraerosol, &
                                           ' ttendlim =',Model%ttendlim, &
                                           ' ext_diag_thompson =',Model%ext_diag_thompson, &
                                           ' dt_inner =',Model%dt_inner, &
@@ -5802,6 +5810,7 @@ subroutine control_print(Model)
       if (Model%imp_physics == Model%imp_physics_wsm6 .or. Model%imp_physics == Model%imp_physics_thompson) then
         print *, ' Thompson microphysical parameters'
         print *, ' ltaerosol         : ', Model%ltaerosol
+        print *, ' mraerosol         : ', Model%mraerosol
         print *, ' lradar            : ', Model%lradar
         print *, ' nsradar_reset     : ', Model%nsradar_reset
         print *, ' lrefres           : ', Model%lrefres
diff --git a/scm/src/GFS_typedefs.meta b/scm/src/GFS_typedefs.meta
index 4998c396e..aa16f50a5 100644
--- a/scm/src/GFS_typedefs.meta
+++ b/scm/src/GFS_typedefs.meta
@@ -4057,6 +4057,12 @@
   units = flag
   dimensions = ()
   type = logical
+[mraerosol]
+  standard_name = do_merra2_aerosol_awareness
+  long_name = flag for merra2 aerosol-aware physics for example the thompson microphysics
+  units = flag
+  dimensions = ()
+  type = logical
 [lradar]
   standard_name = flag_for_radar_reflectivity
   long_name = flag for radar reflectivity