diff --git a/cfgrib/dataset.py b/cfgrib/dataset.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/cfgrib/dataset.py
+++ b/cfgrib/dataset.py
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ def build_geography_coordinates(
     return geo_dims, geo_shape, geo_coord_vars
 
 
-def encode_cf_first(data_var_attrs, encode_cf):
+def encode_cf_first(data_var_attrs, encode_cf=('parameter', 'time')):
     coords_map = ENSEMBLE_KEYS[:]
     if 'parameter' in encode_cf:
         if 'GRIB_cfName' in data_var_attrs:
diff --git a/tests/test_30_dataset.py b/tests/test_30_dataset.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/tests/test_30_dataset.py
+++ b/tests/test_30_dataset.py
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ def test_dict_merge():
         dataset.dict_merge(master, {'two': 3})
 
 
+def test_encode_cf_first():
+    assert dataset.encode_cf_first({})
+
+
 def test_build_data_var_components_no_encode():
     index = messages.FileStream(path=TEST_DATA).index(dataset.ALL_KEYS).subindex(paramId=130)
     dims, data_var, coord_vars = dataset.build_variable_components(index=index)
<I>% test coverage for dataset.py.