diff --git a/Externals.cfg b/Externals.cfg
index 4b5c1d318ef..9bc8c1dd8b6 100644
--- a/Externals.cfg
+++ b/Externals.cfg
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ protocol = git
 required = True
 
 [UFS-Utils]
-hash = 8b990c0
+hash = 5b67e4d
 local_path = sorc/ufs_utils.fd
-repo_url = https://github.com/NOAA-EMC/UFS_UTILS.git
+repo_url = https://github.com/ufs-community/UFS_UTILS.git
 protocol = git
 required = True
 
diff --git a/scripts/exgdas_enkf_sfc.sh b/scripts/exgdas_enkf_sfc.sh
index b6b37a9e736..8ba8d6e012c 100755
--- a/scripts/exgdas_enkf_sfc.sh
+++ b/scripts/exgdas_enkf_sfc.sh
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ if [ $DOIAU = "YES" ]; then
 
             [[ $TILE_NUM -eq 1 ]] && mkdir -p $COMOUT_ENS/$memchar/atmos/RESTART
 
+            $NCP $COMIN_GES_ENS/$memchar/atmos/RESTART/$bPDY.${bcyc}0000.sfc_data.tile${n}.nc $COMOUT_ENS/$memchar/atmos/RESTART/$bPDY.${bcyc}0000.sfcanl_data.tile${n}.nc
             $NLN $COMIN_GES_ENS/$memchar/atmos/RESTART/$bPDY.${bcyc}0000.sfc_data.tile${n}.nc $DATA/fnbgsi.$cmem
             $NLN $COMOUT_ENS/$memchar/atmos/RESTART/$bPDY.${bcyc}0000.sfcanl_data.tile${n}.nc $DATA/fnbgso.$cmem
             $NLN $FIXfv3/$CASE/${CASE}_grid.tile${n}.nc                                $DATA/fngrid.$cmem
@@ -171,6 +172,7 @@ if [ $DOSFCANL_ENKF = "YES" ]; then
 
         [[ $TILE_NUM -eq 1 ]] && mkdir -p $COMOUT_ENS/$memchar/atmos/RESTART
 
+        $NCP $COMIN_GES_ENS/$memchar/atmos/RESTART/$PDY.${cyc}0000.sfc_data.tile${n}.nc $COMOUT_ENS/$memchar/atmos/RESTART/$PDY.${cyc}0000.sfcanl_data.tile${n}.nc
         $NLN $COMIN_GES_ENS/$memchar/atmos/RESTART/$PDY.${cyc}0000.sfc_data.tile${n}.nc $DATA/fnbgsi.$cmem
         $NLN $COMOUT_ENS/$memchar/atmos/RESTART/$PDY.${cyc}0000.sfcanl_data.tile${n}.nc $DATA/fnbgso.$cmem
         $NLN $FIXfv3/$CASE/${CASE}_grid.tile${n}.nc                               $DATA/fngrid.$cmem
diff --git a/scripts/exglobal_atmos_sfcanl.sh b/scripts/exglobal_atmos_sfcanl.sh
index da4649c2976..7b76bc53591 100755
--- a/scripts/exglobal_atmos_sfcanl.sh
+++ b/scripts/exglobal_atmos_sfcanl.sh
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ if [[ ${DOIAU} = "YES" ]]; then
     # update surface restarts at the beginning of the window, if IAU
     # For now assume/hold dtfanl.nc valid at beginning of window
     for n in $(seq 1 ${ntiles}); do
+        ${NCP} ${COMIN_GES}/RESTART/${bPDY}.${bcyc}0000.sfc_data.tile${n}.nc ${COMOUT}/RESTART/${bPDY}.${bcyc}0000.sfcanl_data.tile${n}.nc
         ${NLN} ${COMIN_GES}/RESTART/${bPDY}.${bcyc}0000.sfc_data.tile${n}.nc ${DATA}/fnbgsi.00${n}
         ${NLN} ${COMOUT}/RESTART/${bPDY}.${bcyc}0000.sfcanl_data.tile${n}.nc ${DATA}/fnbgso.00${n}
         ${NLN} ${FIXfv3}/${CASE}/${CASE}_grid.tile${n}.nc                    ${DATA}/fngrid.00${n}
@@ -193,6 +194,7 @@ fi
 
 # Update surface restarts at middle of window
 for n in $(seq 1 ${ntiles}); do
+    ${NCP} ${COMIN_GES}/RESTART/${PDY}.${cyc}0000.sfc_data.tile${n}.nc ${COMOUT}/RESTART/${PDY}.${cyc}0000.sfcanl_data.tile${n}.nc
     ${NLN} ${COMIN_GES}/RESTART/${PDY}.${cyc}0000.sfc_data.tile${n}.nc ${DATA}/fnbgsi.00${n}
     ${NLN} ${COMOUT}/RESTART/${PDY}.${cyc}0000.sfcanl_data.tile${n}.nc ${DATA}/fnbgso.00${n}
     ${NLN} ${FIXfv3}/${CASE}/${CASE}_grid.tile${n}.nc                  ${DATA}/fngrid.00${n}
diff --git a/sorc/checkout.sh b/sorc/checkout.sh
index 90226286906..d2a45307ddd 100755
--- a/sorc/checkout.sh
+++ b/sorc/checkout.sh
@@ -91,8 +91,8 @@ function checkout() {
     return "${status}"
   fi
   if [[ "${recursive}" == "YES" ]]; then
-    git submodule update --init --recursive >> "${logfile}" 2>&1
     echo "|-- Updating submodules (if any)"
+    git submodule update --init --recursive >> "${logfile}" 2>&1
     status=$?
     if ((status > 0)); then
       echo "    WARNING: Error while updating submodules of ${name}"
@@ -156,8 +156,8 @@ mkdir -p "${logdir}"
 # The checkout version should always be a speciifc commit (hash or tag), not a branch
 errs=0
 checkout "gfs_utils.fd"    "https://github.com/NOAA-EMC/gfs-utils"              "0b8ff56"                    ; errs=$((errs + $?))
+checkout "ufs_utils.fd"    "https://github.com/ufs-community/UFS_UTILS.git"     "5b67e4d"                    ; errs=$((errs + $?))
 checkout "ufs_model.fd"    "https://github.com/ufs-community/ufs-weather-model" "${ufs_model_hash:-c22aaad}" ; errs=$((errs + $?))
-checkout "ufs_utils.fd"    "https://github.com/ufs-community/UFS_UTILS.git"     "8b990c0"                    ; errs=$((errs + $?))
 checkout "verif-global.fd" "https://github.com/NOAA-EMC/EMC_verif-global.git"   "c267780"                    ; errs=$((errs + $?))
 
 if [[ ${checkout_gsi} == "YES" ]]; then
diff --git a/workflow/setup_expt.py b/workflow/setup_expt.py
index 9c0d3fbd314..c45f82bafae 100755
--- a/workflow/setup_expt.py
+++ b/workflow/setup_expt.py
@@ -244,16 +244,8 @@ def edit_baseconfig(host, inputs):
         }
         tmpl_dict = dict(tmpl_dict, **extend_dict)
 
-    # Determine CCPP suite and MP based on mode and app
-    gfsv16 = {"@CCPP_SUITE@": "FV3_GFS_v16", "@IMP_PHYSICS@": 11}
-    gfsv17 = {"@CCPP_SUITE@": "FV3_GFS_v17_p8", "@IMP_PHYSICS@": 8}
-    if inputs.mode in ['cycled']:
-        if inputs.app in ['ATM']:
-            extend_dict = gfsv16
-        elif inputs.app in ['S2S', 'S2SW']:
-            extend_dict = gfsv17
-    elif inputs.mode in ['forecast-only']:
-        extend_dict = gfsv17
+    # All apps and modes now use the same physics and CCPP suite by default
+    extend_dict = {"@CCPP_SUITE@": "FV3_GFS_v17_p8", "@IMP_PHYSICS@": 8}
     tmpl_dict = dict(tmpl_dict, **extend_dict)
 
     base_input = f'{inputs.configdir}/config.base.emc.dyn'