diff --git a/env/HERA.env b/env/HERA.env
index edbe420496..6ce99f8e90 100755
--- a/env/HERA.env
+++ b/env/HERA.env
@@ -288,7 +288,6 @@ elif [[ "${step}" = "gempak" ]]; then
     export CFP_MP="YES"
 
     if [[ ${CDUMP} == "gfs" ]]; then
-        npe_gempak=${npe_gempak_gfs}
         npe_node_gempak=${npe_node_gempak_gfs}
     fi
 
@@ -296,7 +295,6 @@ elif [[ "${step}" = "gempak" ]]; then
 
     export NTHREADS_GEMPAK=${nth_gempak:-1}
     [[ ${NTHREADS_GEMPAK} -gt ${nth_max} ]] && export NTHREADS_GEMPAK=${nth_max}
-    export APRUN="${launcher} -n ${npe_gempak} ${mpmd_opt}"
 
 
 elif [[ "${step}" = "fit2obs" ]]; then
diff --git a/versions/run.hera.ver b/versions/run.hera.ver
index be6a594792..d612619acc 100644
--- a/versions/run.hera.ver
+++ b/versions/run.hera.ver
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ export spack_env=gsi-addon-dev-rocky8
 export hpss_ver=hpss
 export ncl_ver=6.6.2
 export R_ver=3.5.0
-export gempak_ver=7.4.2
+export gempak_ver=7.17.0
 export perl_ver=5.38.0
 
 source "${HOMEgfs:-}/versions/run.spack.ver"