diff --git a/payu/models/roms.py b/payu/models/roms.py
index e5b4eda4..4a005c10 100644
--- a/payu/models/roms.py
+++ b/payu/models/roms.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ def __init__(self, expt, name, config):
         self.config_files = []
         self.optional_config_files = []
 
+        self.copy_restarts = True
+
     def setup(self):
         ## handle mandatory config files
         if 'model_config' not in self.config: