diff --git a/src/thermophysicalModels/specie/specie/specie.C b/src/thermophysicalModels/specie/specie/specie.C
index 95a7ea96..6b104ba8 100644
--- a/src/thermophysicalModels/specie/specie/specie.C
+++ b/src/thermophysicalModels/specie/specie/specie.C
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ Foam::specie::specie(const dictionary& dict)
     name_(dict.dictName()),
     nMoles_(readScalar(dict.subDict("specie").lookup("nMoles"))),
     molWeight_(readScalar(dict.subDict("specie").lookup("molWeight"))),
-    nCharges_(readScalar(dict.subDict("specie").lookup("nCharges")))
+    nCharges_(dict.subDict("specie").lookupOrDefault("nCharges", 0.0))
 {}