diff --git a/opm/input/eclipse/Schedule/Schedule.hpp b/opm/input/eclipse/Schedule/Schedule.hpp
index 0818f5532..29a711988 100644
--- a/opm/input/eclipse/Schedule/Schedule.hpp
+++ b/opm/input/eclipse/Schedule/Schedule.hpp
@@ -645,7 +645,9 @@ namespace Opm
 
         void prefetch_cell_properties(const ScheduleGrid& grid, const DeckKeyword& keyword);
         void store_wgnames(const DeckKeyword& keyword);
-        std::vector<std::string> wellNames(const std::string& pattern, const HandlerContext& context);
+        std::vector<std::string> wellNames(const std::string& pattern,
+                                           const HandlerContext& context,
+                                           bool allowEmpty = false);
         std::vector<std::string> wellNames(const std::string& pattern, std::size_t timeStep, const std::vector<std::string>& matching_wells, InputErrorAction error_action, ErrorGuard& errors, const KeywordLocation& location) const;
         void invalidNamePattern( const std::string& namePattern, const HandlerContext& context) const;
         static std::string formatDate(std::time_t t);
diff --git a/src/opm/input/eclipse/Schedule/Schedule.cpp b/src/opm/input/eclipse/Schedule/Schedule.cpp
index 5a4c24caf..8da9592f8 100644
--- a/src/opm/input/eclipse/Schedule/Schedule.cpp
+++ b/src/opm/input/eclipse/Schedule/Schedule.cpp
@@ -1216,11 +1216,14 @@ void Schedule::iterateScheduleSection(std::size_t load_start, std::size_t load_e
 
 
 
-    std::vector<std::string> Schedule::wellNames(const std::string& pattern, const HandlerContext& context) {
+    std::vector<std::string> Schedule::wellNames(const std::string& pattern,
+                                                 const HandlerContext& context,
+                                                 bool allowEmpty)
+    {
         std::vector<std::string> valid_names;
         const auto& report_step = context.currentStep;
         auto names = this->wellNames(pattern, report_step, context.matching_wells);
-        if (names.empty()) {
+        if (names.empty() && !allowEmpty) {
             const auto& location = context.keyword.location();
             if (this->action_wgnames.has_well(pattern)) {
                 std::string msg = fmt::format(R"(Well: {} not yet defined for keyword {}.