diff --git a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
index 39c70da0c39..8bc9cc3d803 100644
--- a/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
+++ b/.buildkite/pipeline.yml
@@ -670,7 +670,6 @@ steps:
           julia --color=yes --project=examples examples/hybrid/driver.jl
           --config_file $CONFIG_PATH/edmfx_gabls_box.yml
         artifact_paths: "edmfx_gabls_box/*"
-        soft_fail: true
         agents:
           slurm_mem: 20GB
 
diff --git a/src/ClimaAtmos.jl b/src/ClimaAtmos.jl
index 1f0c7fcac38..05b35455338 100644
--- a/src/ClimaAtmos.jl
+++ b/src/ClimaAtmos.jl
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ include(joinpath("utils", "discrete_hydrostatic_balance.jl"))
 
 include(joinpath("prognostic_equations", "pressure_work.jl"))
 include(joinpath("prognostic_equations", "zero_velocity.jl"))
+include(joinpath("prognostic_equations", "filter_sgs_u3_tendency.jl"))
 
 include(joinpath("prognostic_equations", "implicit", "wfact.jl"))
 include(joinpath("prognostic_equations", "implicit", "schur_complement_W.jl"))
diff --git a/src/prognostic_equations/filter_sgs_u3_tendency.jl b/src/prognostic_equations/filter_sgs_u3_tendency.jl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..49923760f4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/prognostic_equations/filter_sgs_u3_tendency.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+###
+### tmp sgs u3 filter
+###
+function filter_sgs_u3_tendency!(Yₜ, Y, p, t, colidx)
+    # set the sgs momentum tendency to the grid mean momentum tendency
+    # if updraft area <= 0
+    if p.atmos.turbconv_model isa EDMFX
+        FT = eltype(Y)
+        n = n_mass_flux_subdomains(p.atmos.turbconv_model)
+        for j in 1:n
+            @. Yₜ.f.sgsʲs.:($$j).u₃[colidx] = ifelse(
+                ᶠinterp(Y.c.sgsʲs.:($$j).ρa[colidx] / p.ᶜρʲs.:($$j)[colidx]) <= FT(0),
+                Yₜ.f.u₃[colidx],
+                Yₜ.f.sgsʲs.:($$j).u₃[colidx],
+            )
+        end
+    end
+    return nothing
+end
diff --git a/src/prognostic_equations/remaining_tendency.jl b/src/prognostic_equations/remaining_tendency.jl
index 6c428fd3890..0f610587858 100644
--- a/src/prognostic_equations/remaining_tendency.jl
+++ b/src/prognostic_equations/remaining_tendency.jl
@@ -43,6 +43,15 @@ NVTX.@annotate function additional_tendency!(Yₜ, Y, p, t)
         # NOTE: All ρa tendencies should be applied before calling this function
         pressure_work_tendency!(Yₜ, Y, p, t, colidx, p.atmos.turbconv_model)
 
+        # NOTE: This will set the sgs momentum tendency to the grid mean momentum tendency
+        # if the updraft area fraction is equal or smaller than zero.
+        # We should not need this, but right now we are diverging slightly
+        # (maybe starting from diverging densities?)
+        # TODO - A better way to implement this would be to
+        # make sgs_e_int = gm_e_int when a == 0 and then recompute sgs_e_tot
+        # based on w and the new sgs_e_int
+        filter_sgs_u3_tendency!(Yₜ, Y, p, t, colidx)
+
         # NOTE: This will zero out all monmentum tendencies in the edmfx advection test
         # please DO NOT add additional velocity tendencies after this function
         zero_velocity_tendency!(Yₜ, Y, p, t, colidx)
diff --git a/toml/edmfx_box.toml b/toml/edmfx_box.toml
index 9eb2be9b120..4f58178f41d 100644
--- a/toml/edmfx_box.toml
+++ b/toml/edmfx_box.toml
@@ -10,6 +10,6 @@ type = "float"
 
 [EDMF_min_area]
 alias = "min_area"
-value = 1.0e-2
+value = 1.0e-3
 type = "float"
 description = "Minimum area fraction per updraft. Parameter not described in the literature."
diff --git a/toml/edmfx_box_gabls.toml b/toml/edmfx_box_gabls.toml
index a0683cc1ae2..4f58178f41d 100644
--- a/toml/edmfx_box_gabls.toml
+++ b/toml/edmfx_box_gabls.toml
@@ -5,5 +5,11 @@ type = "float"
 
 [EDMF_surface_area]
 alias = "surface_area"
-value = 1e-4
+value = 0.1
 type = "float"
+
+[EDMF_min_area]
+alias = "min_area"
+value = 1.0e-3
+type = "float"
+description = "Minimum area fraction per updraft. Parameter not described in the literature."