diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d9f0b45cce4..b23b7e8848c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Changed
 
+- Update ExtData to not initialize primary items in multi rule case when the use this rule range does not overlap execution range
 - Update CI to use Baselibs 8.32.0 and circleci-tools orb v5
 - Update `components.yaml`
   - ESMA_env v5.22.0
diff --git a/Tests/ExtDataDriverGridComp.F90 b/Tests/ExtDataDriverGridComp.F90
index a08a47f8a6f..7b814006dab 100644
--- a/Tests/ExtDataDriverGridComp.F90
+++ b/Tests/ExtDataDriverGridComp.F90
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ subroutine MAPL_ClockInit ( cf, Clock, nsteps, rc)
     integer                  :: status
     integer        :: datetime(2)
     type(ESMF_Calendar) :: cal
-    type(ESMF_Time)          :: CurrTime
+    type(ESMF_Time)          :: CurrTime, StopTime
     type(ESMF_TimeInterval) :: timeInterval, duration
 
 
@@ -909,6 +909,9 @@ subroutine MAPL_ClockInit ( cf, Clock, nsteps, rc)
          rc = STATUS  )
     _VERIFY(STATUS)
     nsteps = duration/timeInterval
+    StopTime = currTime+duration
+    call ESMF_ClockSet(clock, stopTime=stopTime, _RC)
+  
     _RETURN(ESMF_SUCCESS)
 
   end subroutine MAPL_ClockInit
diff --git a/gridcomps/ExtData2G/ExtDataAbstractFileHandler.F90 b/gridcomps/ExtData2G/ExtDataAbstractFileHandler.F90
index 88356b80d5b..4806591c3e2 100644
--- a/gridcomps/ExtData2G/ExtDataAbstractFileHandler.F90
+++ b/gridcomps/ExtData2G/ExtDataAbstractFileHandler.F90
@@ -182,9 +182,6 @@ function find_any_file(this, current_time, fail_on_missing, rc) result(filename)
      logical :: file_found
 
      useable_time = current_time
-     if (allocated(this%valid_range)) then
-        useable_time = this%valid_range(1)
-     end if
      call fill_grads_template(trial_file, this%file_template, time=useable_time, _RC)
      inquire(file=trim(trial_file),exist=file_found)
 
@@ -192,6 +189,9 @@ function find_any_file(this, current_time, fail_on_missing, rc) result(filename)
         filename = trial_file
         _RETURN(_SUCCESS)
      end if
+     if (allocated(this%valid_range)) then
+        useable_time = this%valid_range(1)
+     end if
      do i=1, MAX_TRIALS
         useable_time = useable_time + this%frequency
         call fill_grads_template(trial_file, this%file_template, time=useable_time, _RC)
diff --git a/gridcomps/ExtData2G/ExtDataGridCompNG.F90 b/gridcomps/ExtData2G/ExtDataGridCompNG.F90
index ce0fa69a97c..2ab952806a6 100644
--- a/gridcomps/ExtData2G/ExtDataGridCompNG.F90
+++ b/gridcomps/ExtData2G/ExtDataGridCompNG.F90
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ SUBROUTINE Initialize_ ( GC, IMPORT, EXPORT, CLOCK, rc )
    integer, pointer :: i_start
    integer :: new_size
    logical, allocatable :: rules_with_ps(:), rules_with_q(:)
+   type(ESMF_Time) :: run_range(2)
    !class(logger), pointer :: lgr
 
 !  Get my name and set-up traceback handle
@@ -398,6 +399,7 @@ SUBROUTINE Initialize_ ( GC, IMPORT, EXPORT, CLOCK, rc )
       end if
    enddo
 
+   call ESMF_ClockGet(clock, currtime=run_range(1), stoptime=run_range(2), _RC)
 !  now lets establish the horizonal and vertical grid for each component, replaces getlevs
    do i=1,self%primary%import_names%size()
 
@@ -405,7 +407,9 @@ SUBROUTINE Initialize_ ( GC, IMPORT, EXPORT, CLOCK, rc )
       do j=1,self%primary%number_of_rules%at(i)
          item => self%primary%item_vec%at(i_start+j-1)
          item%pfioCOllection_id = MAPL_DataAddCollection(item%file_template)
-         call GetLevs(item, time, _RC)
+         if (range_overlaps_item(run_range, item)) then
+            call GetLevs(item, time, _RC)
+         end if
       enddo
 
    enddo
@@ -1805,9 +1809,26 @@ function get_item_index(this,base_name,current_time,rc) result(item_index)
      end if
      _ASSERT(item_index/=-1,"ExtData did not find item index for basename "//TRIM(base_name))
      _RETURN(_SUCCESS)
-  end function get_item_index
+   end function get_item_index
+
+   function range_overlaps_item(range, item) result(overlaps)
+      logical :: overlaps
+      type(ESMF_Time), intent(in) :: range(2)
+      type(PrimaryExport), intent(in) :: item
+
+      ! Single-rule items carry no start_end_time constraint
+      if (.not. allocated(item%start_end_time)) then
+         overlaps = .true.
+         return
+      end if
+
+      ! Half-open overlap: [A,B) and [C,D) overlap iff A<D and C<B
+      overlaps = (item%start_end_time(1) < range(2)) .and. &
+                 (range(1) < item%start_end_time(2))
+
+   end function range_overlaps_item
 
-  subroutine get_global_options(yaml_file,am_running,use_file_weights,rc)
+   subroutine get_global_options(yaml_file,am_running,use_file_weights,rc)
      character(len=*), intent(in) :: yaml_file
      logical,intent(out) :: am_running
      logical,intent(out) :: use_file_weights