diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/subModelBase/subModelBase.H b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/subModelBase/subModelBase.H
index 32d8f376bf..1154240e77 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/subModelBase/subModelBase.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/subModelBase/subModelBase.H
@@ -193,8 +193,9 @@ public:
                 ) const;
 
                 //- Retrieve generic property from the sub-model
+                //  Return true if found
                 template<class Type>
-                void getModelProperty(const word& entryName, Type& value) const;
+                bool getModelProperty(const word& entryName, Type& value) const;
 
                 //- Retrieve generic property from the sub-model
                 template<class Type>
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/subModelBase/subModelBaseTemplates.C b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/subModelBase/subModelBaseTemplates.C
index d1331f7245..dec480c12c 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/subModelBase/subModelBaseTemplates.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/primitives/subModelBase/subModelBaseTemplates.C
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ void Foam::subModelBase::setBaseProperty
 
 
 template<class Type>
-void Foam::subModelBase::getModelProperty
+bool Foam::subModelBase::getModelProperty
 (
     const word& entryName,
     Type& value
@@ -94,13 +94,15 @@ void Foam::subModelBase::getModelProperty
 
         if (inLine() && baseDict.found(modelName_))
         {
-            baseDict.subDict(modelName_).readIfPresent(entryName, value);
+            return baseDict.subDict(modelName_).readIfPresent(entryName, value);
         }
         else if (baseDict.found(modelType_))
         {
-            baseDict.subDict(modelType_).readIfPresent(entryName, value);
+            return baseDict.subDict(modelType_).readIfPresent(entryName, value);
         }
     }
+
+    return false;
 }