diff --git a/biogeochem/EDMortalityFunctionsMod.F90 b/biogeochem/EDMortalityFunctionsMod.F90
index fc941d0371..e0cc8be59c 100644
--- a/biogeochem/EDMortalityFunctionsMod.F90
+++ b/biogeochem/EDMortalityFunctionsMod.F90
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ module EDMortalityFunctionsMod
    use EDTypesMod            , only : ed_site_type
    use EDParamsMod,            only : maxpft
    use FatesConstantsMod     , only : itrue,ifalse
+   use FatesConstantsMod     , only : ihard_stress_decid
+   use FatesConstantsMod     , only : isemi_stress_decid
+   use FatesConstantsMod     , only : leaves_off
    use FatesAllometryMod     , only : bleaf
    use FatesAllometryMod     , only : storage_fraction_of_target
    use FatesInterfaceTypesMod     , only : bc_in_type
@@ -25,6 +28,7 @@ module EDMortalityFunctionsMod
 
    use PRTGenericMod,          only : carbon12_element
    use PRTGenericMod,          only : store_organ
+   use PRTParametersMod      , only : prt_params
    use shr_log_mod           , only : errMsg => shr_log_errMsg
    
    implicit none
@@ -90,14 +94,27 @@ subroutine mortality_rates( cohort_in,bc_in, btran_ft, mean_temp,             &
     real(r8) :: min_fmc_ar         ! minimum fraction of maximum conductivity for absorbing root
     real(r8) :: min_fmc            ! minimum fraction of maximum conductivity for whole plant
     real(r8) :: flc                ! fractional loss of conductivity 
+    logical  :: is_decid_dormant   ! Flag to signal that the cohort is deciduous and dormant
+
+
     real(r8), parameter :: frost_mort_buffer = 5.0_r8  ! 5deg buffer for freezing mortality
     logical, parameter :: test_zero_mortality = .false. ! Developer test which
                                                         ! may help to debug carbon imbalances
                                                         ! and the like
 
+    ! Check if the PFT is deciduous and leaves are completely abscised.  If this is the case,
+    ! we prevent hydraulic failure mortality to occur as plants are leafless. For now, 
+    ! semi-deciduous plants with senescing leaves may still die of hydraulic failure, but in
+    ! the future we could accelerate senescence to avoid mortality. Note that both drought 
+    ! deciduous and cold deciduous are considered here to be consistent with the idea that
+    ! plants without leaves cannot die of hydraulic failure.
+    is_decid_dormant =                                                            & !
+       ( prt_params%stress_decid(cohort_in%pft) == ihard_stress_decid .or.        & ! Drought deciduous
+         prt_params%stress_decid(cohort_in%pft) == isemi_stress_decid .or.        & ! Semi-deciduous
+         prt_params%season_decid(cohort_in%pft) == itrue                  ) .and. & ! Cold deciduous
+       ( cohort_in%status_coh == leaves_off )                                     ! ! Fully abscised
     
-    
-   ! Size Dependent Senescence
+    ! Size Dependent Senescence
     ! rate (r) and inflection point (ip) define the increase in mortality rate with dbh
     mort_r_size_senescence = EDPftvarcon_inst%mort_r_size_senescence(cohort_in%pft)
     mort_ip_size_senescence = EDPftvarcon_inst%mort_ip_size_senescence(cohort_in%pft)
@@ -139,10 +156,11 @@ subroutine mortality_rates( cohort_in,bc_in, btran_ft, mean_temp,             &
 
        bmort = EDPftvarcon_inst%bmort(cohort_in%pft)
 
-       ! Proxy for hydraulic failure induced mortality. 
+       ! Proxy for hydraulic failure induced mortality.
        hf_sm_threshold = EDPftvarcon_inst%hf_sm_threshold(cohort_in%pft)
        hf_flc_threshold = EDPftvarcon_inst%hf_flc_threshold(cohort_in%pft)
-       if(hlm_use_planthydro.eq.itrue)then
+
+       if (hlm_use_planthydro == itrue) then
           !note the flc is set as the fraction of max conductivity in hydro
           min_fmc_ag = minval(cohort_in%co_hydr%ftc_ag(:))
           min_fmc_tr = cohort_in%co_hydr%ftc_troot
@@ -156,14 +174,18 @@ subroutine mortality_rates( cohort_in,bc_in, btran_ft, mean_temp,             &
           else
              hmort = 0.0_r8
           endif
+
        else
-          if( ( btran_ft(cohort_in%pft) <= hf_sm_threshold ) .and. &
-               ( ( minval(bc_in%t_soisno_sl) - tfrz ) > soil_tfrz_thresh ) ) then 
+          ! When FATES-Hydro is off, hydraulic failure mortality occurs only when btran
+          ! falls below a threshold and plants have leaves.
+          if ( (.not. is_decid_dormant) .and. &
+               ( 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
-          endif
-       endif
+          end if
+       end if
 
        ! Carbon Starvation induced mortality.
        if ( cohort_in%dbh  >  0._r8 ) then