diff --git a/ccpp/framework b/ccpp/framework
index d4a000313..1b6352fb2 160000
--- a/ccpp/framework
+++ b/ccpp/framework
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit d4a00031381afa7cd90589040a5c7e8f53991801
+Subproject commit 1b6352fb24f053b738bde72eed0ddf0b60ec7c0f
diff --git a/ccpp/physics b/ccpp/physics
index cbcf09dac..f50b0bdbf 160000
--- a/ccpp/physics
+++ b/ccpp/physics
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit cbcf09dac7194c8044b2d89c698e08b81b3333f3
+Subproject commit f50b0bdbf0c965926110827c9eaa00bb063331bf
diff --git a/fv3_cap.F90 b/fv3_cap.F90
index b647414a8..731d0e239 100644
--- a/fv3_cap.F90
+++ b/fv3_cap.F90
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ module fv3gfs_cap_mod
                                     num_files, filename_base,                &
                                     wrttasks_per_group, n_group,             &
                                     lead_wrttask, last_wrttask,              &
-                                    nsout_io, iau_offset, lflname_fulltime
+                                    nsout_io, iau_offset, lflname_fulltime,  &
+                                    time_unlimited
 !
   use module_fcst_grid_comp,  only: fcstSS => SetServices
 
@@ -322,6 +323,8 @@ subroutine InitializeAdvertise(gcomp, rc)
 !
       if(mype==0) print *,'af nems config,nfhout,nsout=',nfhout,nfhmax_hf,nfhout_hf, nsout,noutput_fh
 
+      call ESMF_ConfigGetAttribute(config=CF, value=time_unlimited, label ='time_unlimited:', default=.false., rc=rc)
+
     endif ! quilting
 !
     call ESMF_ConfigGetAttribute(config=CF, value=dt_atmos, label ='dt_atmos:',   rc=rc)
diff --git a/io/module_fv3_io_def.F90 b/io/module_fv3_io_def.F90
index dda5310ad..30fa553f6 100644
--- a/io/module_fv3_io_def.F90
+++ b/io/module_fv3_io_def.F90
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ module module_fv3_io_def
   integer           :: nbdlphys
   integer           :: nsout_io, iau_offset
   logical           :: lflname_fulltime
+  logical           :: time_unlimited
 
   character(len=esmf_maxstr),dimension(:),allocatable :: filename_base
   character(len=esmf_maxstr),dimension(:),allocatable :: output_file
diff --git a/io/module_write_netcdf.F90 b/io/module_write_netcdf.F90
index 787894ebc..7bf85686e 100644
--- a/io/module_write_netcdf.F90
+++ b/io/module_write_netcdf.F90
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ module module_write_netcdf
   use netcdf
   use module_fv3_io_def,only : ideflate, nbits, &
                                ichunk2d,jchunk2d,ichunk3d,jchunk3d,kchunk3d, &
-                               output_grid,dx,dy,lon1,lat1,lon2,lat2
+                               output_grid,dx,dy,lon1,lat1,lon2,lat2, &
+                               time_unlimited
   use mpi
 
   implicit none
@@ -896,12 +897,15 @@ subroutine add_dim(ncid, dim_name, dimid, grid, rc)
                            typekind=typekind, itemCount=n, rc=rc); ESMF_ERR_RETURN(rc)
 
     if (trim(dim_name) == "time") then
-    ! using an unlimited dim requires collective mode (NF90_COLLECTIVE)
-    ! for parallel writes, which seems to slow things down on hera.
-    !ncerr = nf90_def_dim(ncid, trim(dim_name), NF90_UNLIMITED, dimid); NC_ERR_STOP(ncerr)
-    ncerr = nf90_def_dim(ncid, trim(dim_name), 1, dimid); NC_ERR_STOP(ncerr)
+      ! using an unlimited dim requires collective mode (NF90_COLLECTIVE)
+      ! for parallel writes, which seems to slow things down on hera.
+      if (time_unlimited) then
+        ncerr = nf90_def_dim(ncid, trim(dim_name), NF90_UNLIMITED, dimid); NC_ERR_STOP(ncerr)
+      else
+        ncerr = nf90_def_dim(ncid, trim(dim_name), 1, dimid); NC_ERR_STOP(ncerr)
+      end if
     else
-    ncerr = nf90_def_dim(ncid, trim(dim_name), n, dimid); NC_ERR_STOP(ncerr)
+      ncerr = nf90_def_dim(ncid, trim(dim_name), n, dimid); NC_ERR_STOP(ncerr)
     end if
 
     if (typekind==ESMF_TYPEKIND_R8) then