diff --git a/config/model_configs/edmfx_gabls_box.yml b/config/model_configs/edmfx_gabls_box.yml
index 6c982cd2524..da655776b08 100644
--- a/config/model_configs/edmfx_gabls_box.yml
+++ b/config/model_configs/edmfx_gabls_box.yml
@@ -20,9 +20,10 @@ x_elem: 2
 y_elem: 2
 z_elem: 8
 z_stretch: false
-dt: "10secs"
+dt: "4secs"
 t_end: "9hours"
 dt_save_to_disk: "10mins"
 perturb_initstate: false
 FLOAT_TYPE: "Float64"
-toml: [toml/edmfx_box_gabls.toml]
+toml: [toml/edmfx_box.toml]
+#toml: [toml/edmfx_box_gabls.toml]
diff --git a/src/ClimaAtmos.jl b/src/ClimaAtmos.jl
index 05b35455338..10441fd8cb8 100644
--- a/src/ClimaAtmos.jl
+++ b/src/ClimaAtmos.jl
@@ -42,7 +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", "helper_sgs_tendencies.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
deleted file mode 100644
index 49923760f4d..00000000000
--- a/src/prognostic_equations/filter_sgs_u3_tendency.jl
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-###
-### 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/helper_sgs_tendencies.jl b/src/prognostic_equations/helper_sgs_tendencies.jl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0f5df9cccf5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/prognostic_equations/helper_sgs_tendencies.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+###
+### sgs u3 relaxation for a < a_min
+###
+function relax_sgs_u3_if_small_area!(Yₜ, Y, p, t, colidx)
+    if p.atmos.turbconv_model isa EDMFX
+        FT = eltype(Y)
+        n = n_mass_flux_subdomains(p.atmos.turbconv_model)
+        a_min = p.atmos.turbconv_model.a_half
+        dt = p.simulation.dt
+        for j in 1:n
+            @. Yₜ.f.sgsʲs.:($$j).u₃[colidx] += ifelse(
+                draft_area(
+                    ᶠinterp(Y.c.sgsʲs.:($$j).ρa[colidx]),
+                    ᶠinterp(p.ᶜρʲs.:($$j)[colidx])
+                ) <= a_min,
+                (Yₜ.f.u₃[colidx] - Yₜ.f.sgsʲs.:($$j).u₃[colidx]) / dt,
+                FT(0) * 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 0f610587858..580db49346f 100644
--- a/src/prognostic_equations/remaining_tendency.jl
+++ b/src/prognostic_equations/remaining_tendency.jl
@@ -43,14 +43,13 @@ 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.
+        # NOTE: This adds an additional sgs momentum tendency
+        # that is a relaxation term to the grid mean momentum
+        # if updraft area fraction is smaller than a_min
         # 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)
+        # and the differences grow even when we increase the entrainment.
+        relax_sgs_u3_if_small_area!(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
diff --git a/toml/edmfx_box_gabls.toml b/toml/edmfx_box_gabls.toml
index 4f58178f41d..dfe0662e7e3 100644
--- a/toml/edmfx_box_gabls.toml
+++ b/toml/edmfx_box_gabls.toml
@@ -3,9 +3,21 @@ alias = "C_E"
 value = 0.044
 type = "float"
 
+[entr_coeff]
+alias = "entr_coeff"
+value = 0.1
+type = "float"
+description = "TODO: Remove this. Constant entrainment coefficient used for testing EDMF"
+
+[detr_coeff]
+alias = "detr_coeff"
+value = 0.05
+type = "float"
+description = "TODO: Remove this. Constant entrainment coefficient used for testing EDMF"
+
 [EDMF_surface_area]
 alias = "surface_area"
-value = 0.1
+value = 1e-1
 type = "float"
 
 [EDMF_min_area]