diff --git a/compass/ocean/tests/global_ocean/mesh/remap_mali_topography/__init__.py b/compass/ocean/tests/global_ocean/mesh/remap_mali_topography/__init__.py
index 6bf7ceb88..f661f9f8f 100644
--- a/compass/ocean/tests/global_ocean/mesh/remap_mali_topography/__init__.py
+++ b/compass/ocean/tests/global_ocean/mesh/remap_mali_topography/__init__.py
@@ -110,20 +110,27 @@ def _remap_mali_topo(self):
 
         ice_density = config.getfloat('remap_topography', 'ice_density')
 
-        mali_ice_density = ds_mali.attrs['config_ice_density']
-        mali_ocean_density = ds_mali.attrs['config_ocean_density']
-        sea_level = ds_mali.attrs['config_sea_level']
-
         g = constants['SHR_CONST_G']
         ocean_density = constants['SHR_CONST_RHOSW']
 
-        if ice_density != mali_ice_density:
-            raise ValueError('Ice density from the config option in '
-                             '[remap_topography] does not match the value '
-                             'from MALI config_ice_density')
-        if ocean_density != mali_ocean_density:
-            logger.warn('\nWARNING: Ocean density from SHR_CONST_RHOSW does '
-                        'not match the value from MALI config_ocean_density\n')
+        if 'config_ice_density' in ds_mali.attrs:
+            mali_ice_density = ds_mali.attrs['config_ice_density']
+            if ice_density != mali_ice_density:
+                raise ValueError('Ice density from the config option in '
+                                 '[remap_topography] does not match the value '
+                                 'from MALI config_ice_density')
+
+        if 'config_ocean_density' in ds_mali.attrs:
+            mali_ocean_density = ds_mali.attrs['config_ocean_density']
+            if ocean_density != mali_ocean_density:
+                logger.warn('\nWARNING: Ocean density from SHR_CONST_RHOSW '
+                            'does not match the value from MALI '
+                            'config_ocean_density\n')
+
+        if 'config_sea_level' in ds_mali.attrs:
+            sea_level = ds_mali.attrs['config_sea_level']
+        else:
+            sea_level = 0.
 
         draft = - (ice_density / ocean_density) * thickness