diff --git a/.github/workflows/mom6_cobalt_1D.yaml b/.github/workflows/mom6_cobalt_1D.yaml
index 2455d33cf..b23a9fba3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/mom6_cobalt_1D.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/mom6_cobalt_1D.yaml
@@ -24,26 +24,25 @@ jobs:
         submodules: recursive
         
     - name: Build mom6-sis2-cobalt
+      working-directory: ./builds
       run: |
         apt update; apt install -y wget
         echo "build mom6-sis2-cobalt ..."
-        cd ./builds
         ./linux-build.bash -m docker -p linux-gnu -t debug -f mom6sis2
 
     - name: Download 1d model dataset
+      working-directory: ./exps
       run: | 
-       cd ./exps
        wget -q ftp.gfdl.noaa.gov:/pub/Yi-cheng.Teng/1d_datasets.tar.gz && tar -zxvf 1d_datasets.tar.gz && rm -rf 1d_datasets.tar.gz
 
     - name: Run 1D toy case and check repro across restarts
+      working-directory: ./exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT
       run: | 
-       cd exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT
-       #mpirun --allow-run-as-root -np 1 ../../builds/build/docker-linux-gnu/ocean_ice/prod/MOM6SIS2
        ./driver.sh 
 
     - name: Check ref
+      working-directory: ./exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT
       run: | 
-       cd exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT
        echo "new 48hrs ocean.stats: "
        cat ./RESTART_48hrs/ocean.stats
        echo "baseline 48 hrs ocean.stats: "
diff --git a/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/INPUT/MOM_IC.nc b/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/INPUT/MOM_IC.nc
new file mode 120000
index 000000000..3d77c0ca3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/INPUT/MOM_IC.nc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../datasets/OceanBGC_dataset/MOM_IC.nc
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/MOM_override b/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/MOM_override
index 1db9fbc5c..f81e1209a 100644
--- a/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/MOM_override
+++ b/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/MOM_override
@@ -3,9 +3,16 @@
 #override REENTRANT_X = True
 #override ALE_COORDINATE_CONFIG = "FNC1:2,6500,6,.01"
 #override REGRIDDING_COORDINATE_MODE = "Z*"
+#override REGRIDDING_COORDINATE_MODE = "Z*"
 #override Z_INIT_REMAPPING_SCHEME = "PPM_IH4" 
 #override Z_INIT_REMAP_OLD_ALG = True
-!#override TRACERS_MAY_REINIT = True
+#override TRACERS_MAY_REINIT = True
+#override INIT_LAYERS_FROM_Z_FILE = False
+#override TS_CONFIG = file
+#override TS_FILE = "MOM_IC.nc"
+#override SALT_FILE= "MOM_IC.nc"
+#override TEMP_IC_VAR = "Temp"
+#override SALT_IC_VAR = "Salt" 
 !
 #override KD = 5.e-4
 #override RESOLN_SCALED_KH = False
@@ -28,4 +35,5 @@
 #override PEN_SW_NBANDS = 3 
 #override CHL_FROM_FILE = False
 #override DO_GEOTHERMAL = True 
-#override GEOTHERMAL_SCALE = 0.0 
+#override GEOTHERMAL_SCALE = 0.0
+#override GENERIC_TRACER_IC_FILE = "MOM_IC.nc"
diff --git a/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/driver.sh b/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/driver.sh
index fca6e4071..d7212681b 100755
--- a/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/driver.sh
+++ b/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/driver.sh
@@ -9,14 +9,14 @@ echo "Test started:  " `date`
 #
 echo "run 48hrs test ..."
 ln -fs input.nml_48hr input.nml
-../../builds/build/docker-linux-gnu/ocean_ice/debug/MOM6SIS2 > out1 2>err1
+mpirun --allow-run-as-root -np 1 ../../builds/build/docker-linux-gnu/ocean_ice/debug/MOM6SIS2 > out1 2>err1
 mv RESTART RESTART_48hrs
 mv ocean.stats* RESTART_48hrs
 
 #
 echo "run 24hrs test ..."
 ln -fs input.nml_24hr input.nml
-../../builds/build/docker-linux-gnu/ocean_ice/debug/MOM6SIS2 > out2 2>err2
+mpirun --allow-run-as-root -np 1 ../../builds/build/docker-linux-gnu/ocean_ice/debug/MOM6SIS2 > out2 2>err2
 mv RESTART RESTART_24hrs
 mv ocean.stats* RESTART_24hrs
 
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ popd
 #
 echo "run 24hrs rst test ..."
 ln -fs input.nml_24hr_rst input.nml
-../../builds/build/docker-linux-gnu/ocean_ice/debug/MOM6SIS2 > out3 2>err3
+mpirun --allow-run-as-root -np 1 ../../builds/build/docker-linux-gnu/ocean_ice/debug/MOM6SIS2 > out3 2>err3
 mv RESTART RESTART_24hrs_rst
 mv ocean.stats* RESTART_24hrs_rst
 
@@ -43,19 +43,19 @@ if [ ! -d "$DIR1" ] || [ ! -d "$DIR2" ]; then
 fi
 
 # Define the files to compare
-#FILES=("MOM.res.nc" "ice_cobalt.res.nc"  "ice_model.res.nc"  "ocean_cobalt_airsea_flux.res.nc")
+FILES=("MOM.res.nc" "ice_cobalt.res.nc"  "ice_model.res.nc"  "ocean_cobalt_airsea_flux.res.nc")
 
 # Iterate over the files
-#for FILE in "${FILES[@]}"; do
-#    # Compare the files using nccmp
-#    echo "Compare ${FILE}"
-#    rm -rf org.txt
-#    rm -rf ref.txt
-#    ncdump ${DIR1}/${FILE} > org.txt
-#    ncdump ${DIR2}/${FILE} > ref.txt
-#    diff -q ./org.txt ./ref.txt > /dev/null || { echo "Error: ${FILE} is not identical, please check! Exiting now..."; exit 1; }
-#done
+for FILE in "${FILES[@]}"; do
+    # Compare the files using nccmp
+    echo "Compare ${FILE}"
+    rm -rf org.txt
+    rm -rf ref.txt
+    ncdump ${DIR1}/${FILE} > org.txt
+    ncdump ${DIR2}/${FILE} > ref.txt
+    diff -q ./org.txt ./ref.txt > /dev/null || { echo "Error: ${FILE} is not identical, please check! Exiting now..."; exit 1; }
+done
 
 #
-#echo "All restart files are identical, PASS"
+echo "All restart files are identical, PASS"
 echo "Test ended:  " `date`
diff --git a/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/field_table b/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/field_table
index 25c89f52a..019efcee0 100644
--- a/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/field_table
+++ b/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/field_table
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 #           "units",        "kg/kg" /      
 ###.................................................
 "namelists","ocean_mod","generic_COBALT"
-enforce_src_info = t 
+enforce_src_info = f 
 #
 no3_src_file = INPUT/bgc_woa_esper_ics_1993_2023-04_BATS.nc
 no3_src_var_name = no3
diff --git a/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/ref/ocean.stats b/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/ref/ocean.stats
index 782e05c4e..0b95c34d2 100644
--- a/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/ref/ocean.stats
+++ b/exps/OM4.single_column.COBALT/ref/ocean.stats
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
   Step,       Day,  Truncs,      Energy/Mass,      Maximum CFL,  Mean Sea Level,  Total Mass,  Mean Salin, Mean Temp, Frac Mass Err,   Salin Err,    Temp Err
             [days]                 [m2 s-2]           [Nondim]       [m]             [kg]         [PSU]      [degC]       [Nondim]        [PSU]        [degC]
-     0,  731595.000,     0, En 4.0531850015098383E-27, CFL  0.00000, SL -0.0000E+00, M 6.97073E+15, S 35.2427, T  6.2462, Me  0.00E+00, Se  0.00E+00, Te  0.00E+00
-     6,  731595.250,     0, En 1.9430699000185468E-06, CFL  0.00273, SL -1.0976E-03, M 6.97073E+15, S 35.2427, T  6.2460, Me -8.57E-10, Se -2.86E-07, Te -2.66E-06
-    12,  731595.500,     0, En 4.1702635092128206E-06, CFL  0.00285, SL -2.1342E-03, M 6.97073E+15, S 35.2427, T  6.2457, Me -7.46E-10, Se -6.81E-07, Te -6.81E-06
-    18,  731595.750,     0, En 1.1474414851572739E-05, CFL  0.00752, SL -3.2693E-03, M 6.97073E+15, S 35.2427, T  6.2459, Me -7.01E-10, Se -9.90E-07, Te -1.00E-05
-    24,  731596.000,     0, En 2.2889537195880983E-05, CFL  0.00823, SL -4.4872E-03, M 6.97072E+15, S 35.2427, T  6.2457, Me -1.14E-09, Se -1.40E-06, Te -1.42E-05
-    30,  731596.250,     0, En 2.8029594580345227E-05, CFL  0.00694, SL -5.5226E-03, M 6.97072E+15, S 35.2428, T  6.2454, Me -1.17E-09, Se -1.93E-06, Te -1.96E-05
-    36,  731596.500,     0, En 3.5426508192363729E-05, CFL  0.00718, SL -6.4927E-03, M 6.97072E+15, S 35.2428, T  6.2451, Me -1.19E-09, Se -2.38E-06, Te -2.42E-05
-    42,  731596.750,     0, En 4.0790161815603025E-05, CFL  0.00761, SL -7.1803E-03, M 6.97072E+15, S 35.2428, T  6.2453, Me -1.11E-09, Se -2.80E-06, Te -2.86E-05
-    48,  731597.000,     0, En 4.6113879916334494E-05, CFL  0.00890, SL -7.7386E-03, M 6.97072E+15, S 35.2428, T  6.2453, Me -8.74E-10, Se -3.06E-06, Te -3.14E-05
+     0,  731595.000,     0, En 4.0531850015098391E-27, CFL  0.00000, SL -0.0000E+00, M 6.97073E+15, S 36.6039, T 20.1934, Me  0.00E+00, Se  0.00E+00, Te  0.00E+00
+     6,  731595.250,     0, En 8.1378403741497590E-07, CFL  0.00201, SL -1.1025E-03, M 6.97073E+15, S 36.6039, T 20.1931, Me -8.61E-10, Se -3.47E-08, Te -9.00E-08
+    12,  731595.500,     0, En 1.0965166953916849E-06, CFL  0.00195, SL -2.1512E-03, M 6.97073E+15, S 36.6039, T 20.1929, Me -7.51E-10, Se -3.52E-08, Te -2.01E-07
+    18,  731595.750,     0, En 4.8253111198979680E-06, CFL  0.00590, SL -3.3036E-03, M 6.97073E+15, S 36.6039, T 20.1931, Me -7.07E-10, Se -3.67E-08, Te -2.91E-07
+    24,  731596.000,     0, En 7.9419977210872199E-06, CFL  0.00601, SL -4.5424E-03, M 6.97072E+15, S 36.6039, T 20.1929, Me -1.15E-09, Se -5.79E-08, Te -4.14E-07
+    30,  731596.250,     0, En 5.8922068996536806E-06, CFL  0.00396, SL -5.6012E-03, M 6.97072E+15, S 36.6039, T 20.1926, Me -1.19E-09, Se -6.41E-08, Te -5.57E-07
+    36,  731596.500,     0, En 6.2438296335804349E-06, CFL  0.00379, SL -6.5992E-03, M 6.97072E+15, S 36.6039, T 20.1924, Me -1.21E-09, Se -6.86E-08, Te -6.80E-07
+    42,  731596.750,     0, En 7.5986995355453777E-06, CFL  0.00438, SL -7.3112E-03, M 6.97072E+15, S 36.6039, T 20.1926, Me -1.13E-09, Se -6.98E-08, Te -8.03E-07
+    48,  731597.000,     0, En 9.7326940294133761E-06, CFL  0.00527, SL -7.8910E-03, M 6.97072E+15, S 36.6039, T 20.1926, Me -8.89E-10, Se -6.41E-08, Te -8.82E-07