From 4baeb37f155ce097faef267b4573a61a141ff26e Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: EddyCMWF <Edward.Comyn-Platt@ecmwf.int>
Date: Fri, 21 Jun 2024 08:33:10 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] optional level encoding

---
 cfgrib/dataset.py | 3 ++-
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/cfgrib/dataset.py b/cfgrib/dataset.py
index f4054d1c..d87f1b53 100644
--- a/cfgrib/dataset.py
+++ b/cfgrib/dataset.py
@@ -463,7 +463,8 @@ def encode_cf_first(data_var_attrs, encode_cf=("parameter", "time"), time_dims=(
             raise ValueError("time_dims %r not a subset of %r" % (time_dims, ALL_REF_TIME_KEYS))
     else:
         coords_map.extend(DATA_TIME_KEYS)
-    coords_map.extend(VERTICAL_KEYS)
+    if "level" in encode_cf:
+        coords_map.extend(VERTICAL_KEYS)
     coords_map.extend(SPECTRA_KEYS)
     return coords_map