diff --git a/zppy/templates/default.ini b/zppy/templates/default.ini
index 8ede9034..54726823 100644
--- a/zppy/templates/default.ini
+++ b/zppy/templates/default.ini
@@ -333,7 +333,13 @@ ts_years = string_list(default=list(""))
 
 [ilamb]
 cfg = string(default="ilamb/cmip.cfg")
+# observational data path, default uses mache's "diagnostics_base_path"
 ilamb_obs = string(default="")
+# for land_only run
 land_only = boolean(default=False)
 ts_atm_subsection = string(default="atm_monthly_180x360_aave")
 ts_land_subsection = string(default="land_monthly")
+# Name of the grid used by the relevant `[ts]` `atm` task
+ts_atm_grid = string(default="180x360_aave")
+# Name of the grid used by the relevant `[ts]` `land` task
+ts_land_grid = string(default="180x360_aave")
diff --git a/zppy/templates/ilamb.bash b/zppy/templates/ilamb.bash
index ade7750a..4f584b9d 100644
--- a/zppy/templates/ilamb.bash
+++ b/zppy/templates/ilamb.bash
@@ -46,8 +46,8 @@ cd ${model_root}/${case}
 
 # Create output directory
 # Create local links to input cmip time-series files
-lnd_ts_for_ilamb={{ output }}/post/lnd/180x360_aave/cmip_ts/monthly/
-atm_ts_for_ilamb={{ output }}/post/atm/180x360_aave/cmip_ts/monthly/
+lnd_ts_for_ilamb={{ output }}/post/lnd/{{ ts_land_grid }}/cmip_ts/monthly/
+atm_ts_for_ilamb={{ output }}/post/atm/{{ ts_atm_grid }}/cmip_ts/monthly/
 cp -s ${lnd_ts_for_ilamb}/*_*_*_*_*_*_${Y1}??-${Y2}??.nc .
 cp -s ${atm_ts_for_ilamb}/*_*_*_*_*_*_${Y1}??-${Y2}??.nc .
 cd ../..
diff --git a/zppy/templates/ts.bash b/zppy/templates/ts.bash
index 1e811976..7141e60a 100644
--- a/zppy/templates/ts.bash
+++ b/zppy/templates/ts.bash
@@ -141,10 +141,10 @@ EOF
 {
   export cmortables_dir={{ cmor_tables_prefix }}/cmip6-cmor-tables/Tables
   #input_dir={{ output }}/post/{{ component }}/{{ grid }}/ts/{{ frequency }}/{{ '%dyr' % (ypf) }}
-  input_dir=${dest}/{{ yr_start }}_{{ yr_end }}
+  input_dir=${dest}/{{ '%04d' % (yr_start) }}_{{ '%04d' % (yr_end) }}
   mkdir -p $input_dir
 
-  cp -s $dest/*_{{ yr_start }}??_{{ yr_end }}??.nc $input_dir
+  cp -s $dest/*_{{ '%04d' % (yr_start) }}??_{{ '%04d' % (yr_end) }}??.nc $input_dir
   dest_cmip={{ output }}/post/{{ component }}/{{ grid }}/cmip_ts/{{ frequency }}
   mkdir -p ${dest_cmip}
   {{ e3sm_to_cmip_environment_commands }}