diff --git a/esmvaltool/recipes/recipe_ecs_constraints.yml b/esmvaltool/recipes/recipe_ecs_constraints.yml
index 3655503e8a..0abc4f20e6 100644
--- a/esmvaltool/recipes/recipe_ecs_constraints.yml
+++ b/esmvaltool/recipes/recipe_ecs_constraints.yml
@@ -522,9 +522,9 @@ diagnostics:
         mip: Amon
         start_year: 1986
         end_year: 2005
-        reference_dataset: GPCP-SG
+        reference_dataset: GPCP-V2.2
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: GPCP-SG, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3, version: v2.2, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: GPCP-V2.2, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3, tier: 1}
     additional_datasets:
       - {dataset: ACCESS1-0}
       - {dataset: ACCESS1-3}
@@ -593,9 +593,9 @@ diagnostics:
         mip: Amon
         start_year: 2003
         end_year: 2005
-        reference_dataset: AIRS
+        reference_dataset: AIRS-2-1
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: AIRS, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3, version: RetStd-v5, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: AIRS-2-1, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3, tier: 1}
     additional_datasets:
       - {dataset: ACCESS1-0}
       - {dataset: ACCESS1-3}
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ diagnostics:
         end_year: 2005
         reference_dataset: CERES-EBAF
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, version: Ed2-7, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, tier: 1}
       rsutcs:
         <<: *var_settings_cmip5
         preprocessor: default
@@ -764,7 +764,7 @@ diagnostics:
         end_year: 2005
         reference_dataset: CERES-EBAF
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, version: Ed2-7, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, tier: 1}
       rsdt:
         <<: *var_settings_cmip5
         preprocessor: default
@@ -773,7 +773,7 @@ diagnostics:
         end_year: 2005
         reference_dataset: CERES-EBAF
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, version: Ed2-7, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, tier: 1}
     additional_datasets:
       - {dataset: ACCESS1-0}
       - {dataset: ACCESS1-3}
@@ -1175,9 +1175,9 @@ diagnostics:
         exp: [historical, rcp85]
         start_year: 2005
         end_year: 2010
-        reference_dataset: 'AIRS-2-0|MLS-AURA'
+        reference_dataset: AIRS-2-0|MLS-AURA
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: AIRS-2-0, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3, version: v2, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: AIRS-2-0, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3, tier: 1}
           - {dataset: MLS-AURA, project: OBS6, type: sat, version: '004', tier: 3}
     additional_datasets:
       - {dataset: ACCESS1-0}
diff --git a/esmvaltool/recipes/recipe_ecs_scatter.yml b/esmvaltool/recipes/recipe_ecs_scatter.yml
index a052caf1c4..eae1034e42 100644
--- a/esmvaltool/recipes/recipe_ecs_scatter.yml
+++ b/esmvaltool/recipes/recipe_ecs_scatter.yml
@@ -126,14 +126,14 @@ diagnostics:
       - atmos
     variables:
       pr:
-        reference_dataset: TRMM-L3
+        reference_dataset: TRMM
         mip: Amon
         exp: historical
         start_year: 1986
         end_year: 2005
         project: CMIP5
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: TRMM-L3, project: obs4MIPs, level: v7, version: 7A,
+          - {dataset: TRMM, project: obs4MIPs, level: v7,
              start_year: 1998, end_year: 2013, tier: 1}
           - {dataset: ACCESS1-0, ensemble: r1i1p1}
           # - {dataset: ACCESS1-3, ensemble: r1i1p1}
@@ -162,11 +162,11 @@ diagnostics:
           - {dataset: MRI-CGCM3, ensemble: r1i1p1}
           - {dataset: NorESM1-M, ensemble: r1i1p1}
       prStderr:
-        reference_dataset: TRMM-L3
+        reference_dataset: TRMM
         mip: Amon
         frequency: mon
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: TRMM-L3, project: obs4MIPs, level: v7, version: 7A,
+          - {dataset: TRMM, project: obs4MIPs, level: v7,
              start_year: 1998, end_year: 2013, tier: 1}
     scripts:
       ecs_scatter:
@@ -188,14 +188,14 @@ diagnostics:
     variables:
       hus:
         preprocessor: pp500
-        reference_dataset: AIRS
+        reference_dataset: AIRS-2-1
         mip: Amon
         exp: historical
         start_year: 1986
         end_year: 2005
         project: CMIP5
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: AIRS, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3, version: RetStd-v5,
+          - {dataset: AIRS-2-1, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3,
              start_year: 2003, end_year: 2010, tier: 1}
           - {dataset: ACCESS1-0, ensemble: r1i1p1}
           # - {dataset: ACCESS1-3, ensemble: r1i1p1}
@@ -225,11 +225,11 @@ diagnostics:
           - {dataset: NorESM1-M, ensemble: r1i1p1}
       husStderr:
         preprocessor: pp500
-        reference_dataset: AIRS
+        reference_dataset: AIRS-2-1
         mip: Amon
         frequency: mon
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: AIRS, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3, version: RetStd-v5,
+          - {dataset: AIRS-2-1, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3,
              start_year: 2003, end_year: 2010, tier: 1}
     scripts:
       ecs_scatter:
@@ -396,24 +396,24 @@ diagnostics:
         exp: historical
         project: CMIP5
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, version: Ed2-7,
-             start_year: 2001, end_year: 2005, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, start_year: 2001, end_year: 2005,
+             tier: 1}
       rsutcs:
         reference_dataset: CERES-EBAF
         mip: Amon
         exp: historical
         project: CMIP5
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, version: Ed2-7,
-             start_year: 2001, end_year: 2005, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, start_year: 2001, end_year: 2005,
+             tier: 1}
       rsdt:
         reference_dataset: CERES-EBAF
         mip: Amon
         exp: historical
         project: CMIP5
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, version: Ed2-7,
-             start_year: 2001, end_year: 2005, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, start_year: 2001, end_year: 2005,
+             tier: 1}
     scripts:
       ecs_scatter:
         diag: covrefl
@@ -433,15 +433,14 @@ diagnostics:
       - atmos
     variables:
       pr:
-        reference_dataset: TRMM-L3
+        reference_dataset: TRMM
         start_year: 1998
         end_year: 2013
         exp: historical
         mip: Amon
         project: CMIP6
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: TRMM-L3, project: obs4MIPs, level: v7,
-             version: 7A, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: TRMM, project: obs4MIPs, level: v7, tier: 1}
           - {dataset: BCC-CSM2-MR, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
           - {dataset: BCC-ESM1, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
           - {dataset: CAMS-CSM1-0, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
@@ -457,14 +456,13 @@ diagnostics:
           - {dataset: MIROC6, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
           - {dataset: MRI-ESM2-0, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
       prStderr:
-        reference_dataset: TRMM-L3
+        reference_dataset: TRMM
         mip: Amon
         frequency: mon
         start_year: 1998
         end_year: 2013
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: TRMM-L3, project: obs4MIPs, level: v7,
-             version: 7A, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: TRMM, project: obs4MIPs, level: v7, tier: 1}
     scripts:
       ecs_scatter:
         diag: itczidx
@@ -484,15 +482,14 @@ diagnostics:
     variables:
       hus:
         preprocessor: pp500
-        reference_dataset: AIRS
+        reference_dataset: AIRS-2-1
         start_year: 2003
         end_year: 2010
         exp: historical
         mip: Amon
         project: CMIP6
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: AIRS, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3,
-             version: RetStd-v5, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: AIRS-2-1, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3, tier: 1}
           - {dataset: BCC-CSM2-MR, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
           - {dataset: BCC-ESM1, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
           - {dataset: CAMS-CSM1-0, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
@@ -509,14 +506,13 @@ diagnostics:
           - {dataset: MRI-ESM2-0, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
       husStderr:
         preprocessor: pp500
-        reference_dataset: AIRS
+        reference_dataset: AIRS-2-1
         mip: Amon
         frequency: mon
         start_year: 2003
         end_year: 2010
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: AIRS, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3,
-             version: RetStd-v5, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: AIRS-2-1, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3, tier: 1}
     scripts:
       ecs_scatter:
         diag: humidx
@@ -689,8 +685,7 @@ diagnostics:
         mip: Amon
         project: CMIP6
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B,
-             version: Ed2-7, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, tier: 1}
           - {dataset: BCC-CSM2-MR, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
           - {dataset: BCC-ESM1, grid: gn, ensemble: r2i1p1f1}
           # - {dataset: CAMS-CSM1-0, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
@@ -713,8 +708,7 @@ diagnostics:
         mip: Amon
         project: CMIP6
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B,
-             version: Ed2-7, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, tier: 1}
           - {dataset: BCC-CSM2-MR, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
           - {dataset: BCC-ESM1, grid: gn, ensemble: r2i1p1f1}
           # - {dataset: CAMS-CSM1-0, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
@@ -737,8 +731,7 @@ diagnostics:
         mip: Amon
         project: CMIP6
         additional_datasets:
-          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B,
-             version: Ed2-7, tier: 1}
+          - {dataset: CERES-EBAF, project: obs4MIPs, level: L3B, tier: 1}
           - {dataset: BCC-CSM2-MR, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}
           - {dataset: BCC-ESM1, grid: gn, ensemble: r2i1p1f1}
           # - {dataset: CAMS-CSM1-0, grid: gn, ensemble: r1i1p1f1}