diff --git a/src/science/gw_hydro/cable_gw_hydro.F90 b/src/science/gw_hydro/cable_gw_hydro.F90
index 8fb9f90ac..1d2105c41 100644
--- a/src/science/gw_hydro/cable_gw_hydro.F90
+++ b/src/science/gw_hydro/cable_gw_hydro.F90
@@ -997,7 +997,7 @@ SUBROUTINE soil_snow_gw(dels, soil, ssnow, canopy, met, bal, veg)
     END IF
 
      !> 7. MMY???
-    IF( (.NOT.cable_user%cable_runtime_coupled ) .AND. (first_gw_hydro_call)) THEN
+    IF( (cable_user%soilsnow_init_spec ) .AND. (first_gw_hydro_call)) THEN
 
        IF (cable_runtime%um) canopy%dgdtg = 0.0 ! RML added um condition  
 
@@ -1081,7 +1081,7 @@ SUBROUTINE soil_snow_gw(dels, soil, ssnow, canopy, met, bal, veg)
                   soil%zse_vec(i,k) +   gammzz_snow(i,k)
           END DO
        END DO                          
-    ENDIF  ! if(.NOT.cable_runtime_coupled) and first_gw_hydro_call
+    ENDIF  ! IF( (cable_user%soilsnow_init_spec ) ) and first_gw_hydro_call
 
   !>  wbliq_old is used for hysteresis 
    ssnow%wbliq_old = ssnow%wbliq       
diff --git a/src/science/soilsnow/cbl_soilsnow_init_special.F90 b/src/science/soilsnow/cbl_soilsnow_init_special.F90
index ea6fafbd2..858d5859b 100644
--- a/src/science/soilsnow/cbl_soilsnow_init_special.F90
+++ b/src/science/soilsnow/cbl_soilsnow_init_special.F90
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ SUBROUTINE spec_init_soil_snow(dels, soil, ssnow, canopy, met, bal, veg,heat_cap
 
 ktau = ktau +1
 
-IF( .NOT.cable_user%cable_runtime_coupled ) THEN
+IF( (cable_user%soilsnow_init_spec ) ) THEN
 
    IF( ktau_gl <= 1 ) THEN
       IF (cable_runtime%um) canopy%dgdtg = 0.0 ! RML added um condition
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ SUBROUTINE spec_init_soil_snow(dels, soil, ssnow, canopy, met, bal, veg,heat_cap
            & + (ssnow%wb(:,1) - ssnow%wbice(:,1) ) * Ccswat * Cdensity_liq &
            & + ssnow%wbice(:,1) * Ccsice * Cdensity_ice, xx ) * soil%zse(1)
    END IF
-ENDIF  ! if(.NOT.cable_runtime_coupled)
+ENDIF  ! if(.NOT.soilsnow_init_spec )
 
 IF (ktau <= 1)       THEN
   xx=heat_cap_lower_limit(:,1)
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ SUBROUTINE spec_init_snowcheck(dels, ssnow, soil, met )
           !H!ssnow%smass(j,3) = 0.0
           !H!ssnow%ssdn(j,:) = ssnow%ssdnn(j)
 
-          IF( .NOT.cable_user%CABLE_RUNTIME_COUPLED ) THEN
+          IF( (cable_user%soilsnow_init_spec ) ) THEN
              IF( soil%isoilm(j) == 9 .AND. ktau_gl <= 2 )                       &
                                 ! permanent ice: fixed hard-wired number in next version
                   ssnow%ssdnn(j) = 700.0
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ SUBROUTINE spec_init_snowcheck(dels, ssnow, soil, met )
              !H!ssnow%tggsn(j,:) = MIN( CTFRZ, ssnow%tgg(j,1) )
              !H!ssnow%ssdn(j,2) = ssnow%ssdn(j,1)
              !H!ssnow%ssdn(j,3) = ssnow%ssdn(j,1)
-             IF( .NOT. cable_user%cable_runtime_coupled) THEN
+             IF( (cable_user%soilsnow_init_spec ) ) THEN
                 IF( soil%isoilm(j) == 9 .AND. ktau_gl <= 2 ) THEN
                    ! permanent ice: fix hard-wired number in next version
                    ssnow%ssdn(j,1)  = 450.0
diff --git a/src/science/soilsnow/cbl_soilsnow_main.F90 b/src/science/soilsnow/cbl_soilsnow_main.F90
index d630abf5c..654e2fe53 100644
--- a/src/science/soilsnow/cbl_soilsnow_main.F90
+++ b/src/science/soilsnow/cbl_soilsnow_main.F90
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ SUBROUTINE soil_snow(dels, soil, ssnow, canopy, met, bal, veg)
 
     ssnow%wbliq = ssnow%wb - ssnow%wbice
 
-  !%cable_runtime_coupled special initalizations in um_init NA for ESM1.5
+  ! soilsnow_init_spec, special initalizations in um_init NA for ESM1.5
 
    xx=soil%css * soil%rhosoil
    IF (ktau <= 1)                                                              &
diff --git a/src/util/cable_runtime_opts_mod.F90 b/src/util/cable_runtime_opts_mod.F90
index 8719cbc06..acd3bb636 100644
--- a/src/util/cable_runtime_opts_mod.F90
+++ b/src/util/cable_runtime_opts_mod.F90
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ MODULE cable_runtime_opts_mod
        consistency_check     = .FALSE., & !
        casa_dump_read        = .FALSE., & !
        casa_dump_write       = .FALSE., & !
-       cable_runtime_coupled = .TRUE. , & !
+       soilsnow_init_spec    = .FALSE., & !
        LogWorker             = .TRUE. , & ! Write Output of each worker
                              ! L.Stevens - Test Switches
        l_new_roughness_soil  = .FALSE., & !