diff --git a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_todynamics.F b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_todynamics.F
index c7baeb213a..d9778fbfb5 100644
--- a/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_todynamics.F
+++ b/src/core_atmosphere/physics/mpas_atmphys_todynamics.F
@@ -181,6 +181,8 @@ subroutine physics_get_tend( block, mesh, state, diag, tend, tend_physics, confi
  tend_rtheta_physics(:,:) = 0._RKIND
  tend_rho_physics(:,:) = 0._RKIND       ! NB: rho tendency is not currently supplied by physics, but this
                                         !     field may be later filled with IAU or other tendencies
+                                        
+ tend_u_phys(:,:) = 0._RKIND
 
  !
  ! In case some variables are not allocated due to their associated packages,