diff --git a/src/core/MOM.F90 b/src/core/MOM.F90
index 3ac60d06c5..8e71cae447 100644
--- a/src/core/MOM.F90
+++ b/src/core/MOM.F90
@@ -2771,20 +2771,20 @@ subroutine initialize_MOM(Time, Time_init, param_file, dirs, CS, &
     if (CS%tv%T_is_conT) then
       vd_T = var_desc(name="contemp", units="Celsius", longname="Conservative Temperature", &
                       cmor_field_name="bigthetao", cmor_longname="Sea Water Conservative Temperature", &
-                      conversion=US%Q_to_J_kg*CS%tv%C_p)
+                      conversion=US%C_to_degC)
     else
       vd_T = var_desc(name="temp", units="degC", longname="Potential Temperature", &
                       cmor_field_name="thetao", cmor_longname="Sea Water Potential Temperature", &
-                      conversion=US%Q_to_J_kg*CS%tv%C_p)
+                      conversion=US%C_to_degC)
     endif
     if (CS%tv%S_is_absS) then
       vd_S = var_desc(name="abssalt", units="g kg-1", longname="Absolute Salinity", &
                       cmor_field_name="absso", cmor_longname="Sea Water Absolute Salinity", &
-                      conversion=0.001*US%S_to_ppt)
+                      conversion=US%S_to_ppt)
     else
       vd_S = var_desc(name="salt", units="psu", longname="Salinity", &
                       cmor_field_name="so", cmor_longname="Sea Water Salinity", &
-                      conversion=0.001*US%S_to_ppt)
+                      conversion=US%S_to_ppt)
     endif
 
     if (advect_TS) then