diff --git a/src/thermophysicalModels/basic/basicThermo/basicThermo.C b/src/thermophysicalModels/basic/basicThermo/basicThermo.C
index 1ab32893c..c77a0eab1 100644
--- a/src/thermophysicalModels/basic/basicThermo/basicThermo.C
+++ b/src/thermophysicalModels/basic/basicThermo/basicThermo.C
@@ -198,11 +198,16 @@ Foam::basicThermo::basicThermo
             phasePropertyName("thermo:alpha"),
             mesh.time().timeName(),
             mesh,
-            IOobject::NO_READ,
+            IOobject::READ_IF_PRESENT,
             IOobject::NO_WRITE
         ),
         mesh,
-        dimensionSet(1, -1, -1, 0, 0)
+        dimensionedScalar
+        (
+            "zero",
+            dimensionSet(1, -1, -1, 0, 0),
+            Zero
+        )
     ),
 
     dpdt_(lookupOrDefault<Switch>("dpdt", true))
@@ -253,11 +258,16 @@ Foam::basicThermo::basicThermo
             phasePropertyName("thermo:alpha"),
             mesh.time().timeName(),
             mesh,
-            IOobject::NO_READ,
+            IOobject::READ_IF_PRESENT,
             IOobject::NO_WRITE
         ),
         mesh,
-        dimensionSet(1, -1, -1, 0, 0)
+        dimensionedScalar
+        (
+            "zero",
+            dimensionSet(1, -1, -1, 0, 0),
+            Zero
+        )
     )
 {}
 
diff --git a/src/thermophysicalModels/solidThermo/solidThermo/heSolidThermo.C b/src/thermophysicalModels/solidThermo/solidThermo/heSolidThermo.C
index b2cce5611..376f0b025 100644
--- a/src/thermophysicalModels/solidThermo/solidThermo/heSolidThermo.C
+++ b/src/thermophysicalModels/solidThermo/solidThermo/heSolidThermo.C
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2017 OpenFOAM Foundation
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -134,6 +134,8 @@ void Foam::heSolidThermo<BasicSolidThermo, MixtureType>::calculate()
             }
         }
     }
+
+    this->alpha_.correctBoundaryConditions();
 }