diff --git a/polaris/ocean/model/mpaso_to_omega.yaml b/polaris/ocean/model/mpaso_to_omega.yaml
index 15b5882835..5f5a72bd84 100644
--- a/polaris/ocean/model/mpaso_to_omega.yaml
+++ b/polaris/ocean/model/mpaso_to_omega.yaml
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ config:
 - section:
     debug: Tendencies
   options:
-    config_disable_vel_explicit_bottom_drag: BottomDragTendencyEnable
+    config_disable_vel_explicit_bottom_drag: not BottomDragTendencyEnable
 
 - section:
     bottom_drag: Tendencies
@@ -109,8 +109,13 @@ config:
     config_eos_type: EosType
 
 - section:
-   eos_linear: [Eos, Linear]
+    eos_linear: [Eos, Linear]
   options:
-    config_eos_linear_alpha: DRhoDT
+    config_eos_linear_alpha: not DRhoDT
     config_eos_linear_beta: DRhoDS
     config_eos_linear_densityref: RhoT0S0
+
+- section:
+    ocean_constants: VertCoord
+  options:
+    config_density0: Density0
diff --git a/polaris/ocean/model/ocean_model_step.py b/polaris/ocean/model/ocean_model_step.py
index 0d2359787c..01894a97ee 100644
--- a/polaris/ocean/model/ocean_model_step.py
+++ b/polaris/ocean/model/ocean_model_step.py
@@ -669,5 +669,13 @@ def _map_handle_not(
         if option.startswith('not '):
             # a special case where we want the opposite of a boolean value
             option = option[4:]
-            value = not value
+            if isinstance(value, bool):
+                value = not value
+            elif isinstance(value, float):
+                value = -value
+            else:
+                raise ValueError(
+                    f"{option}: Cannot apply 'not' to option type "
+                    f'{type(value)}'
+                )
         return option, value
diff --git a/polaris/ocean/ocean.cfg b/polaris/ocean/ocean.cfg
index faa5bce94b..6a3f26a9dd 100644
--- a/polaris/ocean/ocean.cfg
+++ b/polaris/ocean/ocean.cfg
@@ -35,14 +35,15 @@ eos_linear_alpha = 0.2
 # Equation of state drho/dS, defaults to mpas-ocean default
 eos_linear_beta = 0.8
 
-# Equation of state reference density when T and S are the reference values, defaults to mpas-ocean default
-eos_linear_rhoref = 1000.
+# Equation of state constant term, designed to match mpas-ocean's default linear EOS
+# 1000.0 + 0.2 * 5.0 - 0.8 * 35 = 973.0
+eos_linear_rhoref = 973.0
 
-# Equation of state reference temperature, defaults to mpas-ocean default
-eos_linear_Tref = 5.
+# Equation of state reference temperature, defaults to omega default
+eos_linear_Tref = 0.
 
-# Equation of state reference salinity, defaults to mpas-ocean default
-eos_linear_Sref = 35.
+# Equation of state reference salinity, defaults to omega default
+eos_linear_Sref = 0.
 
 # Options relate to adjusting the sea-surface height or land-ice pressure
 # below ice shelves to they are dynamically consistent with one another
diff --git a/polaris/tasks/ocean/single_column/cvmix/forward.yaml b/polaris/tasks/ocean/single_column/cvmix/forward.yaml
index f2a7bd5282..0e0b51941f 100644
--- a/polaris/tasks/ocean/single_column/cvmix/forward.yaml
+++ b/polaris/tasks/ocean/single_column/cvmix/forward.yaml
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+ocean:
+  eos:
+    config_eos_type: linear
+  eos_linear:
+    config_eos_linear_alpha: 0.2
+    config_eos_linear_beta: 0.01
+    # 1000.0 + 0.2 * 5 - 0.01 * 35
+    eos_linear_rhoref: 1000.65
+
 mpas-ocean:
   time_management:
     config_run_duration: 0010_00:00:00
@@ -13,9 +22,5 @@ mpas-ocean:
     config_use_cvmix_kpp: true
     config_cvmix_kpp_matching: MatchBoth
     config_cvmix_kpp_interpolationOMLType: cubic
-  eos:
-    config_eos_type: linear
-  eos_linear:
-    config_eos_linear_beta: 0.01
   streams:
     KPP_testing: {}
diff --git a/polaris/tasks/ocean/single_column/forward.py b/polaris/tasks/ocean/single_column/forward.py
index ed9c992aea..7bfc5f85ec 100644
--- a/polaris/tasks/ocean/single_column/forward.py
+++ b/polaris/tasks/ocean/single_column/forward.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ def __init__(
         openmp_threads=1,
         validate_vars=None,
         task_name='',
+        update_eos=True,
     ):
         """
         Create a new test case