diff --git a/include/cantera/thermo/SpeciesThermoInterpType.h b/include/cantera/thermo/SpeciesThermoInterpType.h
index 15d727e5d..0eb6cdcd9 100644
--- a/include/cantera/thermo/SpeciesThermoInterpType.h
+++ b/include/cantera/thermo/SpeciesThermoInterpType.h
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ public:
     virtual void validate(const std::string& name) {}
 
     //! Returns an integer representing the type of parameterization
-    virtual int reportType() const = 0;
+    virtual int reportType() const { return 0; };
 
     //! Number of terms in the temperature polynomial for this parameterization
     virtual size_t temperaturePolySize() const { return 1; }
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ public:
     virtual void updatePropertiesTemp(const doublereal temp,
                                       doublereal* cp_R,
                                       doublereal* h_RT,
-                                      doublereal* s_R) const = 0;
+                                      doublereal* s_R) const;
 
     //! This utility function reports back the type of parameterization and all
     //! of the parameters for the species.
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ public:
     virtual void reportParameters(size_t& index, int& type,
                                   doublereal& minTemp, doublereal& maxTemp,
                                   doublereal& refPressure,
-                                  doublereal* const coeffs) const = 0;
+                                  doublereal* const coeffs) const;
 
     //! Report the 298 K Heat of Formation of the standard state of one species
     //! (J kmol-1)
diff --git a/src/thermo/Species.cpp b/src/thermo/Species.cpp
index 0275cc4ea..08ca73490 100644
--- a/src/thermo/Species.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/Species.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,11 @@ shared_ptr<Species> newSpecies(const XML_Node& species_node)
     if (species_node.hasChild("size")) {
         s->size = getFloat(species_node, "size");
     }
-    s->thermo.reset(newSpeciesThermoInterpType(species_node.child("thermo")));
+    if (species_node.hasChild("thermo")) {
+        s->thermo.reset(newSpeciesThermoInterpType(species_node.child("thermo")));
+    } else {
+        s->thermo.reset(new SpeciesThermoInterpType());
+    }
 
     // Read transport data, if provided
     if (species_node.hasChild("transport")) {
diff --git a/src/thermo/SpeciesThermoInterpType.cpp b/src/thermo/SpeciesThermoInterpType.cpp
index 13f96687a..e1f15a984 100644
--- a/src/thermo/SpeciesThermoInterpType.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/SpeciesThermoInterpType.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,21 @@ void SpeciesThermoInterpType::updateProperties(const doublereal* tempPoly,
     updatePropertiesTemp(T, cp_R, h_RT, s_R);
 }
 
+void SpeciesThermoInterpType::updatePropertiesTemp(const double temp,
+        double* cp_R, double* h_RT, double* s_R) const
+{
+    throw CanteraError("SpeciesThermoInterpType::updatePropertiesTemp",
+                       "Not implemented");
+}
+
+void SpeciesThermoInterpType::reportParameters(size_t& index, int& type,
+        double& minTemp, double& maxTemp, double& refPressure,
+        double* const coeffs) const
+{
+    throw CanteraError("SpeciesThermoInterpType::reportParameters",
+                       "Not implemented");
+}
+
 doublereal SpeciesThermoInterpType::reportHf298(doublereal* const h298) const
 {
     throw CanteraError("SpeciesThermoInterpType::reportHf298",
diff --git a/test/data/LiFixed.xml b/test/data/LiFixed.xml
index d7dea7cfe..2b117a1e2 100644
--- a/test/data/LiFixed.xml
+++ b/test/data/LiFixed.xml
@@ -16,34 +16,11 @@
     <kinetics model="none"/>
   </phase>
 
-  <phase dim="3" id="mismatch">
-    <elementArray datasrc="elements.xml">
-      Li
-    </elementArray>
-    <speciesArray datasrc="#species_Li(Fixed)">
-      LiFixed
-    </speciesArray>
-    <thermo model="StoichSubstance">
-      <chemicalPotential units="J/kmol"> -2.3E7  </chemicalPotential>
-    </thermo>
-    <transport model="None"/>
-    <kinetics model="none"/>
-  </phase>
-
   <!-- species definitions     -->
   <speciesData id="species_Li(Fixed)">
 
     <species name="LiFixed">
       <atomArray> Li:1 </atomArray>
-      <thermo>
-        <Shomate Pref="1 bar" Tmax="1075.0" Tmin="250.0">
-          <floatArray size="7">
-            50.72389, 6.672267, -2.517167,
-            10.15934, -0.200675, -427.2115,
-            130.3973
-          </floatArray>
-        </Shomate>
-      </thermo>
     </species>
   </speciesData>
 </ctml>
diff --git a/test/data/liquid-water.xml b/test/data/liquid-water.xml
index 798f0895e..63bf8551c 100644
--- a/test/data/liquid-water.xml
+++ b/test/data/liquid-water.xml
@@ -23,18 +23,6 @@
     <!-- species H2O    -->
     <species name="H2O">
       <atomArray>H:2 O:1 </atomArray>
-      <thermo>
-        <NASA Tmax="1000.0" Tmin="273.16000000000003" P0="100000.0">
-           <floatArray name="coeffs" size="7">
-             4.198640560E+00,  -2.036434100E-03,   6.520402110E-06,  -5.487970620E-09, 
-             1.771978170E-12,  -3.029372670E+04,  -8.490322080E-01</floatArray>
-        </NASA>
-        <NASA Tmax="1600.0" Tmin="1000.0" P0="100000.0">
-           <floatArray name="coeffs" size="7">
-             3.033992490E+00,   2.176918040E-03,  -1.640725180E-07,  -9.704198700E-11, 
-             1.682009920E-14,  -3.000429710E+04,   4.966770100E+00</floatArray>
-        </NASA>
-      </thermo>
     </species>
   </speciesData>
 </ctml>