diff --git a/ush/python/pygfs/task/marine_analysis.py b/ush/python/pygfs/task/marine_analysis.py
index 4e4311b906..e7b7b5e948 100644
--- a/ush/python/pygfs/task/marine_analysis.py
+++ b/ush/python/pygfs/task/marine_analysis.py
@@ -210,6 +210,7 @@ def _prep_variational_yaml(self: Task) -> None:
         envconfig_jcb['cyc'] = os.getenv('cyc')
         envconfig_jcb['SOCA_NINNER'] = self.task_config.SOCA_NINNER
         envconfig_jcb['obs_list'] = ['adt_rads_all']
+        envconfig_jcb['MOM6_LEVS'] = mdau.get_mom6_levels(str(self.task_config.OCNRES))
 
         # Write obs_list_short
         save_as_yaml(parse_obs_list_file(self.task_config.MARINE_OBS_LIST_YAML), 'obs_list_short.yaml')
diff --git a/ush/python/pygfs/utils/marine_da_utils.py b/ush/python/pygfs/utils/marine_da_utils.py
index e1b2ac2d4d..032d843332 100644
--- a/ush/python/pygfs/utils/marine_da_utils.py
+++ b/ush/python/pygfs/utils/marine_da_utils.py
@@ -166,3 +166,25 @@ def clean_empty_obsspaces(config, target, app='var'):
 
     # save cleaned yaml
     save_as_yaml(config, target)
+
+@logit(logger)
+def get_mom6_levels(ocnres: str) -> int:
+    """
+    Temporary function that returns the number of vertical levels in MOM6 given the horizontal resolution.
+    This is requiered by the diffusion saber block that now makes use of oops::util::FieldSetHelpers::writeFieldSet
+    and requires the number of levels in the configuration. I have been told this will be changed in the future.
+    """
+
+    # get the number of vertical levels in MOM6 according to the horizontal resolution
+    if ocnres == '500':
+        nlev = 25
+    elif ocnres == '100':
+        nlev = 75
+    elif ocnres == '050':
+        nlev = 75
+    elif ocnres == '025':
+        nlev = 75
+    else:
+        raise ValueError("FATAL ERROR: Invalid ocnres value. Aborting.")
+
+    return nlev