diff --git a/scripts/metavar.py b/scripts/metavar.py
index 8f283df6..a589429b 100755
--- a/scripts/metavar.py
+++ b/scripts/metavar.py
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ class Var:
     # All constituent props are optional so no check
 
     def __init__(self, prop_dict, source, run_env, context=None,
-                 clone_source=None):
+                 clone_source=None, skip_checks=False):
         """Initialize a new Var object.
         If <prop_dict> is really a Var object, use that object's prop_dict.
         If this Var object is a clone, record the original Var object
@@ -361,18 +361,20 @@ def __init__(self, prop_dict, source, run_env, context=None,
 #        # end for
 # XXgoldyXX: ^ don't fill in default properties?
         # Make sure all the variable values are valid
-        try:
-            for prop_name, prop_val in self.var_properties():
-                prop = Var.get_prop(prop_name)
-                _ = prop.valid_value(prop_val,
-                                     prop_dict=self._prop_dict, error=True)
-            # end for
-        except CCPPError as cperr:
-            lname = self._prop_dict['local_name']
-            emsg = "{}: {}"
-            raise ParseSyntaxError(emsg.format(lname, cperr),
-                                   context=self.context) from cperr
-        # end try
+        if not skip_checks:
+            try:
+                for prop_name, prop_val in self.var_properties():
+                    prop = Var.get_prop(prop_name)
+                    _ = prop.valid_value(prop_val,
+                                         prop_dict=self._prop_dict, error=True)
+                # end for
+            except CCPPError as cperr:
+                lname = self._prop_dict['local_name']
+                emsg = "{}: {}"
+                raise ParseSyntaxError(emsg.format(lname, cperr),
+                                        context=self.context) from cperr
+            # end try
+        # end if
 
     def compatible(self, other, run_env, is_tend=False):
         """Return a VarCompatObj object which describes the equivalence,
@@ -1209,9 +1211,10 @@ def __init__(self, prop_dict, source, run_env, context=None,
                 del prop_dict[prop.name]
             # end if
         # end for
-        # Initialize Var
+        # Initialize Var; skip the parse checkers on the Fortran side since the
+        # checks are already done during metadata parsing
         super().__init__(prop_dict, source, run_env, context=context,
-                         clone_source=clone_source)
+                         clone_source=clone_source, skip_checks=True)
         # Now, restore the saved properties
         for prop in save_dict:
             self._prop_dict[prop] = save_dict[prop]
diff --git a/test/ddthost_test/CMakeLists.txt b/test/ddthost_test/CMakeLists.txt
index cc257619..3626979b 100644
--- a/test/ddthost_test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/test/ddthost_test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 set(SCHEME_FILES       "setup_coeffs" "temp_set" "temp_adjust" "temp_calc_adjust")
 set(SUITE_SCHEME_FILES "make_ddt" "environ_conditions")
-set(HOST_FILES         "test_host_data" "test_host_mod" "host_ccpp_ddt")
+set(HOST_FILES         "test_host_data" "test_host_mod" "host_ccpp_ddt" "wrapped_ddt")
 set(SUITE_FILES        "ddt_suite.xml" "temp_suite.xml")
 # HOST is the name of the executable we will build.
 # We assume there are files ${HOST}.meta and ${HOST}.F90 in CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR
@@ -39,12 +39,18 @@ ccpp_capgen(CAPGEN_DEBUG ON
 ccpp_datafile(DATATABLE "${CCPP_CAP_FILES}/datatable.xml"
               REPORT_NAME "--ccpp-files")
 
+# Create dependent library to mimic possibly pre-built external dependencies
+add_library(external_module STATIC external_module.F90)
+
 # Create test host library
 add_library(DDT_TESTLIB OBJECT ${SCHEME_FORTRAN_FILES}
                                ${SUITE_SCHEME_FORTRAN_FILES}
                                ${DDT_HOST_FORTRAN_FILES}
                                ${CCPP_CAPS_LIST})
 
+# Add the external as a dependency of the DDT library.
+add_dependencies(DDT_TESTLIB external_module)
+
 # Setup test executable with needed dependencies
 add_executable(ddt_host_integration test_ddt_host_integration.F90 ${HOST}.F90)
 target_link_libraries(ddt_host_integration PRIVATE DDT_TESTLIB test_utils)
diff --git a/test/ddthost_test/README.md b/test/ddthost_test/README.md
index 292722dc..8a102e48 100644
--- a/test/ddthost_test/README.md
+++ b/test/ddthost_test/README.md
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 Contains tests to exercise more DDT functionality:
 - Passing around and modifying a DDT
 - Making DDT in host model & using it in CCPP-ized physics code
+- Providiing metadata for only the top-level DDT
+  - Ensures framework allows unknown DDT in Fortran as long as there's no metadata for it
 
 ## Building/Running
 
diff --git a/test/ddthost_test/external_module.F90 b/test/ddthost_test/external_module.F90
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a52c4a9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/ddthost_test/external_module.F90
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+module external_module
+
+ type, public :: unknown_external_ddt
+    integer :: var
+ end type
+
+end module external_module
diff --git a/test/ddthost_test/temp_adjust.F90 b/test/ddthost_test/temp_adjust.F90
index 0458292c..daf96893 100644
--- a/test/ddthost_test/temp_adjust.F90
+++ b/test/ddthost_test/temp_adjust.F90
@@ -17,11 +17,13 @@ module temp_adjust
   !> \section arg_table_temp_adjust_run  Argument Table
   !! \htmlinclude arg_table_temp_adjust_run.html
   !!
-  subroutine temp_adjust_run(foo, timestep, temp_prev, temp_layer, qv, ps,    &
+  subroutine temp_adjust_run(foo, timestep, wrapped_ext_ddt, temp_prev, temp_layer, qv, ps,    &
        to_promote, promote_pcnst, errmsg, errflg, innie, outie, optsie)
+    use wrapped_ddt, only: wrapped_ddt_t
 
     integer,                   intent(in)    :: foo
     real(kind_phys),           intent(in)    :: timestep
+    type(wrapped_ddt_t),       intent(out)   :: wrapped_ext_ddt
     real(kind_phys),           intent(inout),optional :: qv(:)
     real(kind_phys),           intent(inout) :: ps(:)
     real(kind_phys),           intent(in)    :: temp_prev(:)
@@ -40,6 +42,8 @@ subroutine temp_adjust_run(foo, timestep, temp_prev, temp_layer, qv, ps,    &
     errmsg = ''
     errflg = 0
 
+    wrapped_ext_ddt%ext_ddt%var = 1
+
     do col_index = 1, foo
        temp_layer(col_index) = temp_layer(col_index) + temp_prev(col_index)
        if (present(qv)) qv(col_index) = qv(col_index) + 1.0_kind_phys
diff --git a/test/ddthost_test/temp_adjust.meta b/test/ddthost_test/temp_adjust.meta
index 420e9112..209dd6f1 100644
--- a/test/ddthost_test/temp_adjust.meta
+++ b/test/ddthost_test/temp_adjust.meta
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@
   type = real
   kind = kind_phys
   intent = in
+[ wrapped_ext_ddt ]
+  standard_name = wrapped_ddt_for_physics
+  units = none
+  dimensions = ()
+  type = wrapped_ddt_t
+  intent = out
 [ temp_prev ]
   standard_name = potential_temperature_at_previous_timestep
   units = K
diff --git a/test/ddthost_test/wrapped_ddt.F90 b/test/ddthost_test/wrapped_ddt.F90
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8fe2dd68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/ddthost_test/wrapped_ddt.F90
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+module wrapped_ddt
+   ! CCPP wrapper for external ddt
+   use external_module, only: unknown_external_ddt
+
+   !> \section arg_table_wrapped_ddt_t Argument Table
+   !! \htmlinclude wrapped_ddt_t.html
+   type, public :: wrapped_ddt_t
+      type(unknown_external_ddt) :: ext_ddt
+   end type
+
+end module wrapped_ddt
diff --git a/test/ddthost_test/wrapped_ddt.meta b/test/ddthost_test/wrapped_ddt.meta
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3b89de46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/ddthost_test/wrapped_ddt.meta
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[ccpp-table-properties]
+  name = wrapped_ddt_t
+  type = ddt
+
+[ccpp-arg-table]
+  name  = wrapped_ddt_t
+  type  = ddt