diff --git a/opm/simulators/wells/ALQState.cpp b/opm/simulators/wells/ALQState.cpp
index 50921fe439..7037c67116 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/wells/ALQState.cpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/wells/ALQState.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ ALQState<Scalar> ALQState<Scalar>::serializationTestObject()
     return result;
 }
 
+template<class Scalar>
+void ALQState<Scalar>::insert(const std::string& wname)
+{
+    this->current_alq_.emplace(wname, 0.0);
+}
+
 template<class Scalar>
 Scalar ALQState<Scalar>::get(const std::string& wname) const
 {
diff --git a/opm/simulators/wells/ALQState.hpp b/opm/simulators/wells/ALQState.hpp
index 111e4397ed..404d5118de 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/wells/ALQState.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/wells/ALQState.hpp
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ public:
 
     Scalar get(const std::string& wname) const;
     void update_default(const std::string& wname, Scalar value);
+    void insert(const std::string& wname);
     void set(const std::string& wname, Scalar value);
     bool oscillation(const std::string& wname) const;
     void update_count(const std::string& wname, bool increase);
diff --git a/opm/simulators/wells/WellState.hpp b/opm/simulators/wells/WellState.hpp
index 4310995d49..bba0872c8e 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/wells/WellState.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/wells/WellState.hpp
@@ -277,6 +277,10 @@ public:
     void shutWell(int well_index);
     void stopWell(int well_index);
 
+    void switchToProducer(const std::string& name) {
+        alq_state.insert(name);
+    }
+
     /// The number of phases present.
     int numPhases() const
     {