diff --git a/biogeochem/EDMortalityFunctionsMod.F90 b/biogeochem/EDMortalityFunctionsMod.F90
index bf47a5cce3..d849121c0e 100644
--- a/biogeochem/EDMortalityFunctionsMod.F90
+++ b/biogeochem/EDMortalityFunctionsMod.F90
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ module EDMortalityFunctionsMod
 
 contains
 
-  subroutine mortality_rates( cohort_in,bc_in,btran_ft, mean_temp,             &
+  subroutine mortality_rates( cohort_in,bc_in, btran_ft, mean_temp,             &
       cmort,hmort,bmort, frmort,smort,asmort,dgmort )
 
     ! ============================================================================
@@ -56,9 +56,10 @@ subroutine mortality_rates( cohort_in,bc_in,btran_ft, mean_temp,             &
     !  background and freezing and size and age dependent senescence
     ! ============================================================================
     
-    use FatesConstantsMod,  only : tfrz => t_water_freeze_k_1atm 
-    use FatesConstantsMod,  only : fates_check_param_set
-    use DamageMainMod,      only : GetDamageMortality
+    use FatesConstantsMod,      only : tfrz => t_water_freeze_k_1atm
+    use FatesConstantsMod,      only : fates_check_param_set
+    use DamageMainMod,          only : GetDamageMortality
+    use EDParamsmod,            only : soil_tfrz_thresh
     
     type (fates_cohort_type), intent(in) :: cohort_in 
     type (bc_in_type), intent(in) :: bc_in
@@ -156,7 +157,8 @@ subroutine mortality_rates( cohort_in,bc_in,btran_ft, mean_temp,             &
              hmort = 0.0_r8
           endif
        else
-          if(btran_ft(cohort_in%pft) <= hf_sm_threshold)then 
+          if( ( btran_ft(cohort_in%pft) <= hf_sm_threshold ) .and. &
+               ( ( minval(bc_in%t_soisno_sl) - tfrz ) > soil_tfrz_thresh ) ) then 
              hmort = EDPftvarcon_inst%mort_scalar_hydrfailure(cohort_in%pft)
           else
              hmort = 0.0_r8
diff --git a/biogeophys/EDBtranMod.F90 b/biogeophys/EDBtranMod.F90
index a785493d54..3e2401a033 100644
--- a/biogeophys/EDBtranMod.F90
+++ b/biogeophys/EDBtranMod.F90
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ module EDBtranMod
   use EDTypesMod        , only : ed_site_type
   use FatesPatchMod,      only : fates_patch_type
   use EDParamsMod,        only : maxpft
+  use EDParamsMod,        only : soil_tfrz_thresh
   use FatesCohortMod,     only : fates_cohort_type
   use shr_kind_mod      , only : r8 => shr_kind_r8
   use FatesInterfaceTypesMod , only : bc_in_type, &
@@ -48,7 +49,7 @@ logical function check_layer_water(h2o_liq_vol, tempk)
     check_layer_water = .false.
 
     if ( h2o_liq_vol .gt. 0._r8 ) then
-       if ( tempk .gt. tfrz-2._r8) then
+       if ( tempk .gt. soil_tfrz_thresh + tfrz) then
           check_layer_water = .true.
        end if
     end if
diff --git a/main/EDParamsMod.F90 b/main/EDParamsMod.F90
index 438d387213..215d4c3ee7 100644
--- a/main/EDParamsMod.F90
+++ b/main/EDParamsMod.F90
@@ -95,8 +95,10 @@ module EDParamsMod
    integer, public :: n_uptake_mode
    integer, public :: p_uptake_mode
 
+   real(r8), parameter, public :: soil_tfrz_thresh = -2.0_r8 ! Soil temperature threshold below which hydraulic failure mortality is off (non-hydro only) in degrees C
+   
    integer, parameter, public :: nclmax = 2                ! Maximum number of canopy layers
-  
+
    ! parameters that govern the VAI (LAI+SAI) bins used in radiative transfer code
    integer, parameter, public :: nlevleaf = 30   ! number of leaf+stem layers in each canopy layer