diff --git a/parm/soca/variational/3dvarfgat.yaml b/parm/soca/variational/3dvarfgat.yaml
index de59a03d8..2e4371586 100644
--- a/parm/soca/variational/3dvarfgat.yaml
+++ b/parm/soca/variational/3dvarfgat.yaml
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ variational:
       fields metadata: ./fields_metadata.yaml
     ninner: !ENV ${SOCA_NINNER}
     gradient norm reduction: 1e-10
-    test: on
     diagnostics:
       departures: ombg
 
diff --git a/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_bmat.sh b/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_bmat.sh
index 28dab42cc..757e83a45 100755
--- a/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_bmat.sh
+++ b/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_bmat.sh
@@ -114,11 +114,11 @@ fi
 ################################################################################
 # Compute the ens std. dev, ignore ssh variance
 # TODO (G): Implement what's below into one single oops application
-# 0 - Compute moments of original ensemble, used at the diag of the first 
+# 0 - Compute moments of original ensemble, used at the diag of the first
 #     component of the hybrid B
 # 1 - Ensemble perturbations:
 #       o Vertically Interpolate to the deterministic layers
-#       o Recenter around 0 to create an ensemble of perturbations
+#       o Recenter around 0 to create an ensemble of perurbations
 # 2 - Filter members and apply the linear steric height balance to each members
 # 3 - Copy h from deterministic to unbalanced perturbations
 # 4 - Compute moments of converted ensemble perturbations
@@ -131,6 +131,15 @@ if [ $err -gt 0  ]; then
     exit $err
 fi
 
+# Zero out std. dev of ssh to use the balance as a strong constraint
+# TODO: Apply the inverse of the balance
+clean_yaml soca_clim_ens_moments.yaml
+$APRUN_OCNANAL $JEDI_BIN/gdas_incr_handler.x soca_postproc_stddev.yaml
+export err=$?; err_chk
+if [ $err -gt 0  ]; then
+    exit $err
+fi
+
 # Compute ensemble perturbations, vertically remap to cycle's vertical geometry
 clean_yaml soca_clim_ens_perts.yaml
 $APRUN_OCNANAL $JEDI_BIN/soca_ensrecenter.x soca_clim_ens_perts.yaml
diff --git a/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_prep.py b/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_prep.py
index a6bef66bc..a05a97bfb 100755
--- a/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_prep.py
+++ b/scripts/exgdas_global_marine_analysis_prep.py
@@ -354,12 +354,18 @@ def find_clim_ens(input_date):
 # generate YAMLS file for diag of clim. ens. B
 berror_yaml_dir = os.path.join(gdas_home, 'parm', 'soca', 'berror')
 
-logging.info(f"---------------- generate soca_clim_moments.yaml")
+logging.info(f"---------------- generate soca_clim_ens_moments.yaml")
 berr_yaml = os.path.join(anl_dir, 'soca_clim_ens_moments.yaml')
 berr_yaml_template = os.path.join(berror_yaml_dir, 'soca_clim_ens_moments.yaml')
 config = YAMLFile(path=berr_yaml_template)
 config = Template.substitute_structure(config, TemplateConstants.DOUBLE_CURLY_BRACES, envconfig.get)
-config = Template.substitute_structure(config, TemplateConstants.DOLLAR_PARENTHESES, envconfig.get)
+config.save(berr_yaml)
+
+logging.info(f"---------------- generate soca_postproc_stddev.yaml")
+berr_yaml = os.path.join(anl_dir, 'soca_postproc_stddev.yaml')
+berr_yaml_template = os.path.join(berror_yaml_dir, 'soca_postproc_stddev.yaml')
+config = YAMLFile(path=berr_yaml_template)
+config = Template.substitute_structure(config, TemplateConstants.DOUBLE_CURLY_BRACES, envconfig.get)
 config.save(berr_yaml)
 
 logging.info(f"---------------- generate soca_clim_ens_perts.yaml")
diff --git a/utils/gdas_postprocincr.h b/utils/gdas_postprocincr.h
index 25c03e187..868964e49 100644
--- a/utils/gdas_postprocincr.h
+++ b/utils/gdas_postprocincr.h
@@ -158,11 +158,16 @@ class PostProcIncr {
     // wait for everybody to be done
     comm_.barrier();
 
-    // Change soca standard output name to something specidfied in the config
+    // Change soca standard output name to something specified in the config
     int result = 0;
     if ( comm_.rank() == 0 ) {
+      // get the output directory
+      std::string dataDir;
+      outputIncrConfig_.get("datadir", dataDir);
+      // get the output file name
       std::string outputFileName;
       outputIncrConfig_.get("output file", outputFileName);
+      outputFileName = dataDir + "/" + outputFileName;
       if (outputIncrConfig_.has("pattern")) {
           std::string pattern;
           outputIncrConfig_.get("pattern", pattern);
@@ -226,6 +231,8 @@ class PostProcIncr {
   // Utility functions
   // -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   // Recreate the soca filename from the configuration
+  // TODO: Change this in soca?
+  // TODO: Hard-coded for ocean, implement for seaice as well
   std::string socaFname() {
     std::string datadir;
     outputIncrConfig_.get("datadir", datadir);