diff --git a/cime_config/namelist_definition_drv.xml b/cime_config/namelist_definition_drv.xml
index 243e8440..71eca18e 100644
--- a/cime_config/namelist_definition_drv.xml
+++ b/cime_config/namelist_definition_drv.xml
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@
     </values>
   </entry>
 
-  <entry id="mediator_read_restart" modify_via_xml="MEDIATOR_READ_RESTART">
+  <entry id="mediator_read_restart" skip_default_entry="true" modify_via_xml="MEDIATOR_READ_RESTART">
     <type>logical</type>
     <category>expdef</category>
     <group>DRIVER_attributes</group>
diff --git a/cime_config/namelist_definition_modelio.xml b/cime_config/namelist_definition_modelio.xml
index ea5d47f0..35af1956 100644
--- a/cime_config/namelist_definition_modelio.xml
+++ b/cime_config/namelist_definition_modelio.xml
@@ -166,6 +166,7 @@
     <value component="rof">$ROF_PIO_NETCDF_FORMAT</value>
     <value component="glc">$GLC_PIO_NETCDF_FORMAT</value>
     <value component="wav">$WAV_PIO_NETCDF_FORMAT</value>
+    <value component="esp">$ESP_PIO_NETCDF_FORMAT</value>
     </values>
   </entry>