diff --git a/config_src/drivers/nuopc_cap/mom_cap.F90 b/config_src/drivers/nuopc_cap/mom_cap.F90
index e0e618c76e..bd95dadddf 100644
--- a/config_src/drivers/nuopc_cap/mom_cap.F90
+++ b/config_src/drivers/nuopc_cap/mom_cap.F90
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ module MOM_cap_mod
 logical              :: grid_attach_area = .false.
 logical              :: use_coldstart = .true.
 logical              :: use_mommesh = .true.
+logical              :: set_missing_stks_to_zero = .false.
 logical              :: restart_eor = .false.
 character(len=128)   :: scalar_field_name = ''
 integer              :: scalar_field_count = 0
@@ -367,6 +368,14 @@ subroutine InitializeP0(gcomp, importState, exportState, clock, rc)
   write(logmsg,*) use_coldstart
   call ESMF_LogWrite('MOM_cap:use_coldstart = '//trim(logmsg), ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
 
+  set_missing_stks_to_zero = .false.
+  call NUOPC_CompAttributeGet(gcomp, name="set_missing_stks_to_zero", value=value, &
+       isPresent=isPresent, isSet=isSet, rc=rc)
+  if (ChkErr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) return
+  if (isPresent .and. isSet) set_missing_stks_to_zero=(trim(value)=="true")
+  write(logmsg,*) set_missing_stks_to_zero
+  call ESMF_LogWrite('MOM_cap:set_missing_stks_to_zero = '//trim(logmsg), ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
+
   use_mommesh = .true.
   call NUOPC_CompAttributeGet(gcomp, name="use_mommesh", value=value, &
        isPresent=isPresent, isSet=isSet, rc=rc)
@@ -1844,7 +1853,8 @@ subroutine ModelAdvance(gcomp, rc)
     ! Import data
     !---------------
 
-    call mom_import(ocean_public, ocean_grid, importState, ice_ocean_boundary, rc=rc)
+    call mom_import(ocean_public, ocean_grid, importState, ice_ocean_boundary,  &
+                    set_missing_stks_to_zero, rc=rc)
     if (ChkErr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) return
 
     !---------------
diff --git a/config_src/drivers/nuopc_cap/mom_cap_methods.F90 b/config_src/drivers/nuopc_cap/mom_cap_methods.F90
index 809a507e5e..8a7a1b3942 100644
--- a/config_src/drivers/nuopc_cap/mom_cap_methods.F90
+++ b/config_src/drivers/nuopc_cap/mom_cap_methods.F90
@@ -72,12 +72,16 @@ end subroutine mom_set_geomtype
 !> This function has a few purposes:
 !! (1) it imports surface fluxes using data from the mediator; and
 !! (2) it can apply restoring in SST and SSS.
-subroutine mom_import(ocean_public, ocean_grid, importState, ice_ocean_boundary, rc)
-  type(ocean_public_type)       , intent(in)    :: ocean_public       !< Ocean surface state
-  type(ocean_grid_type)         , intent(in)    :: ocean_grid         !< Ocean model grid
-  type(ESMF_State)              , intent(inout) :: importState        !< incoming data from mediator
-  type(ice_ocean_boundary_type) , intent(inout) :: ice_ocean_boundary !< Ocean boundary forcing
-  integer                       , intent(inout) :: rc                 !< Return code
+!! (3) it can convert imported stokes drift components to zero if they are missing.
+subroutine mom_import(ocean_public, ocean_grid, importState, ice_ocean_boundary, &
+                      set_missing_stks_to_zero, rc)
+  type(ocean_public_type)       , intent(in)    :: ocean_public             !< Ocean surface state
+  type(ocean_grid_type)         , intent(in)    :: ocean_grid               !< Ocean model grid
+  logical                       , intent(in)    :: set_missing_stks_to_zero !< If true, set
+                                                                            !! missing stokes drift to zero
+  type(ESMF_State)              , intent(inout) :: importState              !< incoming data from mediator
+  type(ice_ocean_boundary_type) , intent(inout) :: ice_ocean_boundary       !< Ocean boundary forcing
+  integer                       , intent(inout) :: rc                       !< Return code
 
   ! Local Variables
   integer                         :: i, j, ib, ig, jg, n
@@ -537,12 +541,26 @@ subroutine mom_import(ocean_public, ocean_grid, importState, ice_ocean_boundary,
         do i = isc, iec
           ig = i + ocean_grid%isc - isc
           !rotate
-          do ib = 1, nsc
-            ice_ocean_boundary%ustkb(i,j,ib) = ocean_grid%cos_rot(ig,jg)*stkx(i,j,ib) &
-                 - ocean_grid%sin_rot(ig,jg)*stky(i,j,ib)
-            ice_ocean_boundary%vstkb(i,j,ib) = ocean_grid%cos_rot(ig,jg)*stky(i,j,ib) &
-                 + ocean_grid%sin_rot(ig,jg)*stkx(i,j,ib)
-          enddo
+          if(set_missing_stks_to_zero) then
+            do ib = 1, nsc
+              if((abs(stkx(i,j,ib)-9.99E20_ESMF_KIND_R8) <= 0.01_ESMF_KIND_R8)) then
+                ice_ocean_boundary%ustkb(i,j,ib) = 0.0
+                ice_ocean_boundary%vstkb(i,j,ib) = 0.0
+              else
+                ice_ocean_boundary%ustkb(i,j,ib) = ocean_grid%cos_rot(ig,jg)*stkx(i,j,ib) &
+                    - ocean_grid%sin_rot(ig,jg)*stky(i,j,ib)
+                ice_ocean_boundary%vstkb(i,j,ib) = ocean_grid%cos_rot(ig,jg)*stky(i,j,ib) &
+                    + ocean_grid%sin_rot(ig,jg)*stkx(i,j,ib)
+              endif
+            enddo
+          else
+            do ib = 1, nsc
+              ice_ocean_boundary%ustkb(i,j,ib) = ocean_grid%cos_rot(ig,jg)*stkx(i,j,ib) &
+                  - ocean_grid%sin_rot(ig,jg)*stky(i,j,ib)
+              ice_ocean_boundary%vstkb(i,j,ib) = ocean_grid%cos_rot(ig,jg)*stky(i,j,ib) &
+                  + ocean_grid%sin_rot(ig,jg)*stkx(i,j,ib)
+            enddo
+          endif
           ! apply masks
           ice_ocean_boundary%ustkb(i,j,:) = ice_ocean_boundary%ustkb(i,j,:) * ocean_grid%mask2dT(ig,jg)
           ice_ocean_boundary%vstkb(i,j,:) = ice_ocean_boundary%vstkb(i,j,:) * ocean_grid%mask2dT(ig,jg)