diff --git a/applications/solvers/basic/potentialFoam/createFields.H b/applications/solvers/basic/potentialFoam/createFields.H
index 7e22883256..ef3b220257 100644
--- a/applications/solvers/basic/potentialFoam/createFields.H
+++ b/applications/solvers/basic/potentialFoam/createFields.H
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@
         fvc::interpolate(U) & mesh.Sf()
     );
 
+    if (args.optionFound("initialiseUBCs"))
+    {
+        U.correctBoundaryConditions();
+        phi = fvc::interpolate(U) & mesh.Sf();
+    }
+
 
     label pRefCell = 0;
     scalar pRefValue = 0.0;
diff --git a/applications/solvers/basic/potentialFoam/potentialFoam.C b/applications/solvers/basic/potentialFoam/potentialFoam.C
index 8e4a12ee0d..d2a1452f72 100644
--- a/applications/solvers/basic/potentialFoam/potentialFoam.C
+++ b/applications/solvers/basic/potentialFoam/potentialFoam.C
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@ Description
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
     argList::addBoolOption("writep", "write the final pressure field");
+    argList::addBoolOption
+    (
+        "initialiseUBCs",
+        "initialise U boundary conditions"
+    );
 
     #include "setRootCase.H"
     #include "createTime.H"