diff --git a/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_run.sh b/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_run.sh
index 682204f4a..3e938df37 100755
--- a/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_run.sh
+++ b/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_run.sh
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ function clean_yaml()
 
 ################################################################################
 # run 3DVAR FGAT
+cp var.yaml var_original.yaml
 clean_yaml var.yaml
 $APRUN_OCNANAL $JEDI_BIN/soca_var.x var.yaml
 export err=$?; err_chk
diff --git a/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_vrfy.py b/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_vrfy.py
index 33699f1d3..04f56afd5 100755
--- a/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_vrfy.py
+++ b/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_vrfy.py
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ def plot_zonal_slice(config):
 
 evadir = os.path.join(HOMEgfs, 'sorc', f'{RUN}.cd', 'ush', 'eva')
 marinetemplate = os.path.join(evadir, 'marine_gdas_plots.yaml')
-varyaml = os.path.join(comout, 'yaml', 'var.yaml')
+varyaml = os.path.join(comout, 'yaml', 'var_original.yaml')
 
 # it would be better to refrence the dirs explicitly with the comout path
 # but eva doesn't allow for specifying output directories