diff --git a/griddedio/GriddedIO.F90 b/griddedio/GriddedIO.F90
index cea3383893fe..b7582842887c 100644
--- a/griddedio/GriddedIO.F90
+++ b/griddedio/GriddedIO.F90
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ subroutine CreateFileMetaData(this,items,bundle,timeInfo,vdata,ogrid,global_attr
         integer :: metadataVarsSize
         type(StringStringMapIterator) :: s_iter
         character(len=:), pointer :: attr_name, attr_val
+        class(Variable), pointer :: coord_var
         integer :: status
 
         this%items = items
@@ -155,6 +156,14 @@ subroutine CreateFileMetaData(this,items,bundle,timeInfo,vdata,ogrid,global_attr
         factory => get_factory(this%output_grid,rc=status)
         _VERIFY(status)
         call factory%append_metadata(this%metadata)
+        coord_var => this%metadata%get_variable('lons')
+        if (associated(coord_var)) call coord_var%set_deflation(this%deflateLevel)
+        coord_var => this%metadata%get_variable('lats')
+        if (associated(coord_var)) call coord_var%set_deflation(this%deflateLevel)
+        coord_var => this%metadata%get_variable('corner_lons')
+        if (associated(coord_var)) call coord_var%set_deflation(this%deflateLevel)
+        coord_var => this%metadata%get_variable('corner_lats')
+        if (associated(coord_var)) call coord_var%set_deflation(this%deflateLevel)
 
         if (present(vdata)) then
            this%vdata=vdata
diff --git a/pfio/Variable.F90 b/pfio/Variable.F90
index 170ec8088da0..6bedd8c6043b 100644
--- a/pfio/Variable.F90
+++ b/pfio/Variable.F90
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ module pFIO_VariableMod
 
       procedure :: get_chunksizes
       procedure :: get_deflation
+      procedure :: set_deflation
       procedure :: get_quantize_algorithm
       procedure :: get_quantize_level
       procedure :: is_attribute_present
@@ -282,6 +283,12 @@ function get_deflation(this) result(deflateLevel)
       deflateLevel=this%deflation
    end function get_deflation
 
+   subroutine set_deflation(this,deflate_level)
+      class (Variable), target, intent(inout) :: this
+      integer, intent(in) :: deflate_level
+      this%deflation = deflate_level
+   end subroutine
+
    function get_quantize_algorithm(this) result(quantizeAlgorithm)
       class (Variable), target, intent(In) :: this
       integer :: quantizeAlgorithm