diff --git a/polaris/ocean/tasks/cosine_bell/forward.yaml b/polaris/ocean/tasks/cosine_bell/forward.yaml
index a9513d5fa..042de693f 100644
--- a/polaris/ocean/tasks/cosine_bell/forward.yaml
+++ b/polaris/ocean/tasks/cosine_bell/forward.yaml
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@ Omega:
       Filename: output.nc
       Freq: {{ output_freq }}
       FreqUnits: seconds
+      IfExists: append
+      # effectively never
+      FileFreq: 9999
+      FileFreqUnits: years
       Contents:
         - Tracers
         - LayerThickness
diff --git a/polaris/ocean/tasks/manufactured_solution/forward.yaml b/polaris/ocean/tasks/manufactured_solution/forward.yaml
index f8d5141eb..025b9eca2 100644
--- a/polaris/ocean/tasks/manufactured_solution/forward.yaml
+++ b/polaris/ocean/tasks/manufactured_solution/forward.yaml
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ Omega:
       Filename: output.nc
       Freq: {{ output_freq }}
       FreqUnits: Seconds
+      IfExists: append
+      # effectively never
+      FileFreq: 9999
+      FileFreqUnits: years
       Contents:
       - NormalVelocity
       - LayerThickness
diff --git a/polaris/ocean/tasks/sphere_transport/forward.yaml b/polaris/ocean/tasks/sphere_transport/forward.yaml
index 959b6fe51..a1626e645 100644
--- a/polaris/ocean/tasks/sphere_transport/forward.yaml
+++ b/polaris/ocean/tasks/sphere_transport/forward.yaml
@@ -83,6 +83,10 @@ Omega:
       Filename: output.nc
       Freq: {{ output_freq }}
       FreqUnits: seconds
+      IfExists: append
+      # effectively never
+      FileFreq: 9999
+      FileFreqUnits: years
       Contents:
         - Tracers
         - LayerThickness