diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 56502876c..e5751ba1e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 ## [Unreleased] - TBD
 ### Changed
 - Renamed `Emiss_Carbon_Gases` to `CO2_Production` in `carbon_gases_mod.F90`
+- Updated start date and restart file for CO2 and tagCO simulations for consistency with carbon simulations
 
 ### Fixed
 - Added a fix to skip the call to KPP when only CO2 is defined in the carbon simulation
diff --git a/run/GCClassic/createRunDir.sh b/run/GCClassic/createRunDir.sh
index 39d34e84b..97d515a8f 100755
--- a/run/GCClassic/createRunDir.sh
+++ b/run/GCClassic/createRunDir.sh
@@ -927,6 +927,8 @@ cd ${rundir}
 # start year/month/day matches default initial restart file.
 if [[ "x${sim_name}" == "xHg"     ||
       "x${sim_name}" == "xCH4"    ||
+      "x${sim_name}" == "xCO2"    ||
+      "x${sim_name}" == "xtagCO"  ||
       "x${sim_name}" == "xcarbon" ||
       "x${sim_name}" == "xTransportTracers" ]]; then
     startdate='20190101'
diff --git a/run/shared/download_data.yml b/run/shared/download_data.yml
index add6476a0..27ab9d233 100644
--- a/run/shared/download_data.yml
+++ b/run/shared/download_data.yml
@@ -33,11 +33,11 @@ restarts:
     remote: v2023-01/GEOSChem.Restart.carbon.20190101_0000z.nc4
     local:  GEOSChem.Restart.20190101_0000z.nc4
   ch4:
-    remote: v2020-02/GEOSChem.Restart.CH4.20190101_0000z.nc4
+    remote: v2023-01/GEOSChem.Restart.carbon.20190101_0000z.nc4
     local:  GEOSChem.Restart.20190101_0000z.nc4
   co2:
-    remote: v2020-02/GEOSChem.Restart.CO2.20190701_0000z.nc4
-    local:  GEOSChem.Restart.20190701_0000z.nc4
+    remote: v2023-01/GEOSChem.Restart.carbon.20190101_0000z.nc4
+    local:  GEOSChem.Restart.20190101_0000z.nc4
   fullchem:
     remote: GC_14.3.0/GEOSChem.Restart.fullchem.20190701_0000z.nc4
     local:  GEOSChem.Restart.20190701_0000z.nc4
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ restarts:
     remote: v2020-02/GEOSChem.Restart.POPs_BaP.20190701_0000z.nc4
     local:  GEOSChem.Restart.20190701_0000z.nc4
   tagco:
-    remote: v2020-02/GEOSChem.Restart.tagCO.20190701_0000z.nc4
-    local:  GEOSChem.Restart.20190701_0000z.nc4 
+    remote: v2023-01/GEOSChem.Restart.carbon.20190101_0000z.nc4
+    local:  GEOSChem.Restart.20190101_0000z.nc4 
   tago3:
     remote: GC_14.3.0/GEOSChem.Restart.fullchem.20190701_0000z.nc4
     local:  GEOSChem.Restart.20190701_0000z.nc4