diff --git a/scripts/python/met_point_obs.py b/scripts/python/met_point_obs.py
index 458a91572c..062e815b14 100755
--- a/scripts/python/met_point_obs.py
+++ b/scripts/python/met_point_obs.py
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ def log_info(self, info_msg):
         base_met_point_obs.info_msg(info_msg)
 
     def put_data(self, point_obs_dict):
+        self.use_var_id = point_obs_dict['use_var_id']
         self.hdr_typ = point_obs_dict['hdr_typ']
         self.hdr_sid = point_obs_dict['hdr_sid']
         self.hdr_vld = point_obs_dict['hdr_vld']
@@ -446,6 +447,7 @@ def convert_point_data(self):
         hdr_vld_map = {}
         obs_var_map = {}
         obs_qty_map = {}
+        self.use_var_id = not self.is_grib_code()
 
         self.use_var_id = not self.is_grib_code()
 
diff --git a/scripts/python/met_point_obs_nc.py b/scripts/python/met_point_obs_nc.py
index cb86be5011..e6680c0689 100644
--- a/scripts/python/met_point_obs_nc.py
+++ b/scripts/python/met_point_obs_nc.py
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ def read_data(self, nc_filename):
             self.log_error_msg(f"input NetCDF file ({nc_filename}) does not exist")
         else:
             dataset = nc.Dataset(nc_filename, 'r')
+
+            attr_name = 'use_var_id'
+            use_var_id_str = dataset.getncattr(attr_name) if attr_name in dataset.ncattrs() else "false"
+            self.use_var_id = use_var_id_str.lower() == 'true'
+
             # Header
             self.hdr_typ = dataset['hdr_typ'][:]
             self.hdr_sid = dataset['hdr_sid'][:]