diff --git a/earthdiagnostics/ocean/heatcontentlayer.py b/earthdiagnostics/ocean/heatcontentlayer.py
index 178bac42dcad54ec6d4b15e7661cbd0708b19c0e..60acffd7929d86e37341b0a126fa64fe2f3c9117 100644
--- a/earthdiagnostics/ocean/heatcontentlayer.py
+++ b/earthdiagnostics/ocean/heatcontentlayer.py
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ class HeatContentLayer(Diagnostic):
             var_region[i, ...] = netCDF4.stringtoarr(basin.name, 50)
             var_ohc_1d[..., i] = heatc_sl_1d[i]
         handler_results_1d.close()
-
+        var_ohc_1d.units = "J" ""
         Utils.setminmax(results, "heatc")
         self.heatc.set_local_file(results)
         self.heatcsum.set_local_file(results_1d)