diff --git a/components/mpas-ocean/bld/namelist_files/namelist_defaults_mpaso.xml b/components/mpas-ocean/bld/namelist_files/namelist_defaults_mpaso.xml
index a2c6465c6d1c..9e14fbf04d1b 100644
--- a/components/mpas-ocean/bld/namelist_files/namelist_defaults_mpaso.xml
+++ b/components/mpas-ocean/bld/namelist_files/namelist_defaults_mpaso.xml
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@
 <config_flux_attenuation_coefficient>0.001</config_flux_attenuation_coefficient>
 <config_flux_attenuation_coefficient_runoff>10.0</config_flux_attenuation_coefficient_runoff>
 <config_flux_attenuation_coefficient_subglacial_runoff>0.001</config_flux_attenuation_coefficient_subglacial_runoff>
-<config_sgr_flux_vertical_location>'top'</config_sgr_flux_vertical_location>
+<config_sgr_flux_vertical_location>'uniform'</config_sgr_flux_vertical_location>
 <config_use_sgr_opt_kpp>0</config_use_sgr_opt_kpp>
 <config_use_sgr_opt_temp>'sgr'</config_use_sgr_opt_temp>
 <config_use_sgr_opt_salt>'sgr'</config_use_sgr_opt_salt>
diff --git a/components/mpas-ocean/cime_config/buildnml b/components/mpas-ocean/cime_config/buildnml
index f5a05e03aade..4d5029555afc 100755
--- a/components/mpas-ocean/cime_config/buildnml
+++ b/components/mpas-ocean/cime_config/buildnml
@@ -379,6 +379,8 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
             data_ismf_file = 'prescribed_ismf_paolo2023.IcoswISC30E3r5.20240227.nc'
         if ocn_tidal_mixing == 'true':
             u_tidal_rms_file = 'velocityTidalRMS_CATS2008.IcoswISC30E3r5.20231120.nc'
+        if ocn_sgr == 'data':
+            data_sgr_file = 'IcoswISC30E3r5_DSGR.nc'
 
     elif ocn_grid == 'IcosXISC30E3r7':
         decomp_date = '20240314'
@@ -404,7 +406,6 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
         if ocn_ismf == 'data':
             data_ismf_file = 'prescribed_ismf_paolo2023.RRSwISC6to18E3r5.20240327.nc'
 
-
     #--------------------------------------------------------------------
     # Set OCN_FORCING = datm_forced_restoring if restoring file is available
     #--------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/components/mpas-ocean/src/Registry.xml b/components/mpas-ocean/src/Registry.xml
index 1ba2259da87f..e48a84d2437c 100644
--- a/components/mpas-ocean/src/Registry.xml
+++ b/components/mpas-ocean/src/Registry.xml
@@ -706,7 +706,7 @@
 					description="The length scale of exponential decay of subglacial runoff. Fluxes are multiplied by $e^{z/\gamma}$, where this coefficient is $\gamma$."
 					possible_values="Any positive real number."
 		/>
-		<nml_option name="config_sgr_flux_vertical_location" type="character" default_value="top"
+		<nml_option name="config_sgr_flux_vertical_location" type="character" default_value="uniform"
 					description="Selects the vertical location where subglacial runoff is fluxed."
 					possible_values="'top','uniform', 'bottom'"
 		/>