diff --git a/src/cache/cache.jl b/src/cache/cache.jl
index a8925fb7be..ccc97c88d5 100644
--- a/src/cache/cache.jl
+++ b/src/cache/cache.jl
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ struct AtmosCache{
     PREC,
     SCRA,
     HYPE,
-    DSS,
     PR,
     LSAD,
     EXTFORCING,
@@ -70,8 +69,6 @@ struct AtmosCache{
        ghost buffers for DSS"""
     hyperdiff::HYPE
 
-    do_dss::DSS
-
     """Additional parameters used by the various tendencies"""
     precipitation::PR
     large_scale_advection::LSAD
@@ -117,11 +114,8 @@ function build_cache(Y, atmos, params, surface_setup, sim_info, aerosol_names)
 
     (; ᶜf³, ᶠf¹²) = compute_coriolis(ᶜcoord, ᶠcoord, params)
 
-    quadrature_style =
-        Spaces.quadrature_style(Spaces.horizontal_space(axes(Y.c)))
-    do_dss = quadrature_style isa Quadratures.GLL
     ghost_buffer =
-        !do_dss ? (;) :
+        !do_dss(axes(Y.c)) ? (;) :
         (; c = Spaces.create_dss_buffer(Y.c), f = Spaces.create_dss_buffer(Y.f))
 
     net_energy_flux_toa = [Geometry.WVector(FT(0))]
@@ -201,7 +195,6 @@ function build_cache(Y, atmos, params, surface_setup, sim_info, aerosol_names)
         precomputed,
         scratch,
         hyperdiff,
-        do_dss,
         precipitation,
         large_scale_advection,
         external_forcing,
diff --git a/src/prognostic_equations/dss.jl b/src/prognostic_equations/dss.jl
index b7232ac2d6..d3ad0fd011 100644
--- a/src/prognostic_equations/dss.jl
+++ b/src/prognostic_equations/dss.jl
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ using ClimaCore.Utilities: half
 import ClimaCore.Fields: ColumnField
 
 NVTX.@annotate function dss!(Y, p, t)
-    if p.do_dss
+    if do_dss(axes(Y.c))
         Spaces.weighted_dss!(Y.c => p.ghost_buffer.c, Y.f => p.ghost_buffer.f)
     end
+    return nothing
 end
diff --git a/src/prognostic_equations/hyperdiffusion.jl b/src/prognostic_equations/hyperdiffusion.jl
index 0a41e42d0b..6c4a5d30d4 100644
--- a/src/prognostic_equations/hyperdiffusion.jl
+++ b/src/prognostic_equations/hyperdiffusion.jl
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ hyperdiffusion_cache(Y, hyperdiff::Nothing, _) = (;)
 function hyperdiffusion_cache(Y, hyperdiff::ClimaHyperdiffusion, turbconv_model)
     quadrature_style =
         Spaces.quadrature_style(Spaces.horizontal_space(axes(Y.c)))
-    do_dss = quadrature_style isa Quadratures.GLL
     FT = eltype(Y)
     n = n_mass_flux_subdomains(turbconv_model)
 
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ function hyperdiffusion_cache(Y, hyperdiff::ClimaHyperdiffusion, turbconv_model)
         (;)
     sgs_quantities = (; sgs_quantities..., maybe_ᶜ∇²tke⁰...)
     quantities = (; gs_quantities..., sgs_quantities...)
-    if do_dss
+    if do_dss(axes(Y.c))
         quantities = (;
             quantities...,
             hyperdiffusion_ghost_buffer = map(
diff --git a/src/prognostic_equations/remaining_tendency.jl b/src/prognostic_equations/remaining_tendency.jl
index a31344f1d9..908671a42b 100644
--- a/src/prognostic_equations/remaining_tendency.jl
+++ b/src/prognostic_equations/remaining_tendency.jl
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 NVTX.@annotate function hyperdiffusion_tendency!(Yₜ, Yₜ_lim, Y, p, t)
     prep_tracer_hyperdiffusion_tendency!(Yₜ_lim, Y, p, t)
     prep_hyperdiffusion_tendency!(Yₜ, Y, p, t)
-    if p.do_dss && !isnothing(p.atmos.hyperdiff)
+    if do_dss(axes(Y.c)) && !isnothing(p.atmos.hyperdiff)
         pairs = dss_hyperdiffusion_tendency_pairs(p)
         Spaces.weighted_dss!(pairs...)
     end
diff --git a/src/utils/utilities.jl b/src/utils/utilities.jl
index 06a248bbae..18320791c3 100644
--- a/src/utils/utilities.jl
+++ b/src/utils/utilities.jl
@@ -262,6 +262,18 @@ function verify_callbacks(t)
     end
 end
 
+
+"""
+    do_dss(space)
+
+Return whether the underlying horizontal space required DSS or not.
+"""
+function do_dss(space::Spaces.AbstractSpace)
+    return Spaces.quadrature_style(Spaces.horizontal_space(space)) isa
+           Quadratures.GLL
+end
+
+
 using ClimaComms
 is_distributed(::ClimaComms.SingletonCommsContext) = false
 is_distributed(::ClimaComms.MPICommsContext) = true
diff --git a/test/coupler_compatibility.jl b/test/coupler_compatibility.jl
index e7b063d4b9..c361b363c8 100644
--- a/test/coupler_compatibility.jl
+++ b/test/coupler_compatibility.jl
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ const T2 = 290
         p.precomputed,
         p.scratch,
         p.hyperdiff,
-        p.do_dss,
         p.precipitation,
         p.large_scale_advection,
         p.external_forcing,