diff --git a/met/data/wrappers/read_tmp_dataplane.py b/met/data/wrappers/read_tmp_dataplane.py
index 09e2530ef0..98bbe728d8 100644
--- a/met/data/wrappers/read_tmp_dataplane.py
+++ b/met/data/wrappers/read_tmp_dataplane.py
@@ -17,14 +17,19 @@
 ds = nc.Dataset(netcdf_filename, 'r')
 met_data = ds['met_data'][:]
 met_attrs = {}
+
+# grid is defined as a dictionary or string
 grid = {}
 for attr, attr_val in ds.__dict__.items():
-    if 'grid' in attr:
+    if 'grid.' in attr:
         grid_attr = attr.split('.')[1]
         grid[grid_attr] = attr_val
     else:
         met_attrs[attr] = attr_val
-met_attrs['grid'] = grid
+
+if grid:
+    met_attrs['grid'] = grid
+
 met_attrs['name'] = met_attrs['name_str']
 del met_attrs['name_str']
 met_info['met_data'] = met_data
diff --git a/test/xml/unit_python.xml b/test/xml/unit_python.xml
index 572e2f925d..801fe16b2d 100644
--- a/test/xml/unit_python.xml
+++ b/test/xml/unit_python.xml
@@ -374,6 +374,26 @@
     </output>
   </test>
 
+  <!-- Invokes user-python logic to read a grid string -->
+  <test name="python_numpy_grid_name_user_python">
+    <exec>&MET_BIN;/plot_data_plane</exec>
+    <env>
+      <pair><name>MET_PYTHON_EXE</name> <value>&MET_PYTHON_EXE;</value></pair>
+      <pair><name>PYTHON_GRID</name> <value>G212</value></pair>
+    </env>
+    <param> \
+      PYTHON_NUMPY \
+      &OUTPUT_DIR;/python/letter_numpy_grid_name_user_python.ps \
+      'name = "&MET_BASE;/python/read_ascii_numpy_grid.py &DATA_DIR_PYTHON;/letter.txt LETTER";' \
+      -plot_range 0.0 255.0 \
+      -title "Grid Name: 'G212'" \
+      -v 1
+    </param>
+    <output>
+      <ps>&OUTPUT_DIR;/python/letter_numpy_grid_name_user_python.ps</ps>
+    </output>
+  </test>
+
   <!-- Invokes user-python logic to read point data  -->
   <test name="python_ascii2nc_user_python">
     <exec>&MET_BIN;/ascii2nc</exec>