diff --git a/components/eamxx/src/diagnostics/atm_backtend.cpp b/components/eamxx/src/diagnostics/atm_backtend.cpp
index 7904d3aa797..c29bb665537 100644
--- a/components/eamxx/src/diagnostics/atm_backtend.cpp
+++ b/components/eamxx/src/diagnostics/atm_backtend.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ void AtmBackTendDiag::initialize_impl(const RunType /*run_type*/) {
   using namespace ekat::units;
   // The units are the same except per second
   auto diag_units = fid.get_units() / s;
-  // TODO: set the units string correctly by appending "/s"
 
   // All good, create the diag output
   FieldIdentifier d_fid(name(), layout.clone(), diag_units, gn);
@@ -60,8 +59,8 @@ void AtmBackTendDiag::initialize_impl(const RunType /*run_type*/) {
 }
 
 void AtmBackTendDiag::init_timestep(const util::TimeStamp &start_of_step) {
-  m_start_t   = start_of_step;
-  auto f_curr = get_field_in(m_name);
+  m_start_t          = start_of_step;
+  const auto &f_curr = get_field_in(m_name);
   m_f_prev.deep_copy(f_curr);
 }
 
diff --git a/components/eamxx/src/share/io/scorpio_output.cpp b/components/eamxx/src/share/io/scorpio_output.cpp
index 9c04a0d69d3..811a5fb42c6 100644
--- a/components/eamxx/src/share/io/scorpio_output.cpp
+++ b/components/eamxx/src/share/io/scorpio_output.cpp
@@ -1379,7 +1379,6 @@ AtmosphereOutput::create_diagnostic (const std::string& diag_field_name) {
     params.set<std::string>("Wind Component",ekat::split(diag_field_name,"VapFlux").front());
   } else if (diag_field_name.find("_atm_backtend")!=std::string::npos) {
     diag_name = "AtmBackTendDiag";
-    // TODO: not sure if this is needed? Can skip, but what to do inside diag?
     // Set the grid_name
     params.set("grid_name",get_field_manager("sim")->get_grid()->name());
     // split will return [X, ''], with X being whatever is before '_atm_tend'