diff --git a/model/fv_dynamics.F90 b/model/fv_dynamics.F90
index 16c0e5753..1b706681b 100644
--- a/model/fv_dynamics.F90
+++ b/model/fv_dynamics.F90
@@ -774,12 +774,12 @@ subroutine fv_dynamics(npx, npy, npz, nq_tot,  ng, bdt, consv_te, fill,
      if ( flagstruct%fv_debug ) then
         if (is_master()) write(*,'(A, I3, A1, I3)') 'finished k_split ', n_map, '/', k_split
        call prt_mxm('T_dyn_a3',    pt, is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1., gridstruct%area_64, domain)
-       call prt_mxm('SPHUM_dyn',   q(isd,jsd,1,sphum  ), is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1.,gridstruct%area_64, domain)
-       call prt_mxm('liq_wat_dyn', q(isd,jsd,1,liq_wat), is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1.,gridstruct%area_64, domain)
-       call prt_mxm('rainwat_dyn', q(isd,jsd,1,rainwat), is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1.,gridstruct%area_64, domain)
-       call prt_mxm('ice_wat_dyn', q(isd,jsd,1,ice_wat), is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1.,gridstruct%area_64, domain)
-       call prt_mxm('snowwat_dyn', q(isd,jsd,1,snowwat), is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1.,gridstruct%area_64, domain)
-       call prt_mxm('graupel_dyn', q(isd,jsd,1,graupel), is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1.,gridstruct%area_64, domain)
+       if (sphum   > 0) call prt_mxm('SPHUM_dyn',   q(isd,jsd,1,sphum  ), is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1.,gridstruct%area_64, domain)
+       if (liq_wat > 0) call prt_mxm('liq_wat_dyn', q(isd,jsd,1,liq_wat), is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1.,gridstruct%area_64, domain)
+       if (rainwat > 0) call prt_mxm('rainwat_dyn', q(isd,jsd,1,rainwat), is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1.,gridstruct%area_64, domain)
+       if (ice_wat > 0) call prt_mxm('ice_wat_dyn', q(isd,jsd,1,ice_wat), is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1.,gridstruct%area_64, domain)
+       if (snowwat > 0) call prt_mxm('snowwat_dyn', q(isd,jsd,1,snowwat), is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1.,gridstruct%area_64, domain)
+       if (graupel > 0) call prt_mxm('graupel_dyn', q(isd,jsd,1,graupel), is, ie, js, je, ng, npz, 1.,gridstruct%area_64, domain)
      endif
 #ifdef AVEC_TIMERS
                                                   call avec_timer_stop(6)
diff --git a/tools/external_ic.F90 b/tools/external_ic.F90
index 432703501..44f76c22e 100644
--- a/tools/external_ic.F90
+++ b/tools/external_ic.F90
@@ -570,8 +570,10 @@ subroutine get_nggps_ic (Atm, fv_domain, dt_atmos )
 
 !--- read in the number of tracers in the NCEP NGGPS ICs
       call read_data ('INPUT/'//trim(fn_gfs_ctl), 'ntrac', ntrac, no_domain=.TRUE.)
-      if (ntrac > ntracers) call mpp_error(FATAL,'==> External_ic::get_nggps_ic: more NGGPS tracers &
-                                 &than defined in field_table '//trim(fn_gfs_ctl)//' for NGGPS IC')
+      ! DH* 20200922 - this breaks Ferrier-Aligo MP runs
+      !if (ntrac > ntracers) call mpp_error(FATAL,'==> External_ic::get_nggps_ic: more NGGPS tracers &
+      !                           &than defined in field_table '//trim(fn_gfs_ctl)//' for NGGPS IC')
+      ! *DH 20200922
 
 !
       call get_data_source(source,Atm%flagstruct%regional)