diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index b881f89393..3d938e62b7 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [submodule "UFSATM"]
   path = UFSATM
-  url = https://github.com/NOAA-EMC/ufsatm
-  branch = develop
+  url = https://github.com/WChen-NOAA/fv3atm
+  branch = var_g
 [submodule "WW3"]
   path = WW3
   url = https://github.com/NOAA-EMC/WW3
diff --git a/UFSATM b/UFSATM
index 939d1ddee2..fda5bd12d4 160000
--- a/UFSATM
+++ b/UFSATM
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 939d1ddee2b833a557459cca002989b20411c70b
+Subproject commit fda5bd12d4bbad4da8cbf1099c5ff05aa8a364f2
diff --git a/tests/parm/global_control.nml.IN b/tests/parm/global_control.nml.IN
index a23bfbd770..45fc2b6308 100644
--- a/tests/parm/global_control.nml.IN
+++ b/tests/parm/global_control.nml.IN
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@
   no_dycore = @[NO_DYCORE]
   z_tracer = .true.
   agrid_vel_rst = .true.
+  var_grav = .false.
   read_increment = @[READ_INCREMENT]
   res_latlon_dynamics = @[RES_LATLON_DYNAMICS]
   ignore_rst_cksum = @[ATM_IGNORE_RST_CKSUM]
diff --git a/tests/parm/wam_v17.nml.IN b/tests/parm/wam_v17.nml.IN
index f80f0feaa1..4d316c4246 100644
--- a/tests/parm/wam_v17.nml.IN
+++ b/tests/parm/wam_v17.nml.IN
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
     ntiles = 6
     npz = @[NPZ]
     dz_min = @[DZ_MIN]
-    ncnst  = 12
+    ncnst  = 13
     psm_bc = @[PSM_BC]
     grid_type = -1
     make_nh = @[MAKE_NH]
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@
     no_dycore = .false.
     z_tracer = @[Z_TRACER]
     inline_q = @[INLINE_Q]
+    var_grav = .false.
     agrid_vel_rst = .false.
     read_increment = @[READ_INCREMENT]
     res_latlon_dynamics = "fv3_increment.nc"
@@ -107,8 +108,8 @@
 &gfs_physics_nml
     fhzero       = @[FHZERO]
     h2o_phys     = .true.
-    ldiag3d      = .true. 
-    qdiag3d      = .true.
+    ldiag3d      = .false. 
+    qdiag3d      = .false.
     print_diff_pgr= .false.
     fhcyc        = @[FHCYC]
     use_ufo      = .true.
diff --git a/tests/tests/control_wam b/tests/tests/control_wam
index c57d8e7234..5f99240abd 100644
--- a/tests/tests/control_wam
+++ b/tests/tests/control_wam
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ export FHMAX=24
 export OUTPUT_GRID='gaussian_grid'
 export FHROT=0
 export OUTPUT_FH='24 -1'
- 
+export RESTART_INTERVAL='12 -1' 
 #WAM settings
 export TAU=1.0
 export D2_BG_K1=0.0