diff --git a/param_templates/input_nml.yaml b/param_templates/input_nml.yaml
index 17c374fa..1a876d46 100644
--- a/param_templates/input_nml.yaml
+++ b/param_templates/input_nml.yaml
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ mpp_io_nml:
 nam_stochy:
     stochini:
         values:
-          $CONTINUE_RUN == True: .true.
+          $CONTINUE_RUN == True : .true.
+          $RUN_TYPE == "branch" : .true.
           else: .false.
     new_lscale:
         values: .true.
diff --git a/param_templates/json/input_nml.json b/param_templates/json/input_nml.json
index 18882363..bba2f55e 100644
--- a/param_templates/json/input_nml.json
+++ b/param_templates/json/input_nml.json
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@
       "stochini": {
          "values": {
             "$CONTINUE_RUN == True": ".true.",
+            "$RUN_TYPE == \"branch\"": ".true.",
             "else": ".false."
          }
       },