diff --git a/tests/test_accessors.py b/tests/test_accessors.py
index a64db416..794c603f 100644
--- a/tests/test_accessors.py
+++ b/tests/test_accessors.py
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ def test_dataarray_destagger(test_grid):
     xr.testing.assert_allclose(destaggered['XLAT'], test_grid['XLAT'])
     xr.testing.assert_allclose(destaggered['XLONG'], test_grid['XLONG'])
 
+    # Check attributes are preserved
+    assert set(destaggered.attrs.keys()) == set(data.attrs.keys()) - {
+        'stagger',
+    }
+
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('test_grid', ['lambert_conformal', 'mercator'], indirect=True)
 def test_dataarray_destagger_with_exclude(test_grid):
@@ -110,5 +115,12 @@ def test_dataset_destagger(test_grid):
             or destaggered[varname].attrs['stagger'] == ''
         )
 
+    # Check preservation of variable attrs
+    for varname in set(test_grid.data_vars).intersection(set(destaggered.data_vars)):
+        # because of xwrf.postprocess, the destaggered attrs will include more information
+        assert set(test_grid[varname].attrs.keys()) - {'stagger', 'units'} <= set(
+            destaggered[varname].attrs.keys()
+        )
+
     # Check that attrs are preserved
     assert destaggered.attrs == test_grid.attrs
diff --git a/tests/test_destagger.py b/tests/test_destagger.py
index 695068f8..f79c968d 100644
--- a/tests/test_destagger.py
+++ b/tests/test_destagger.py
@@ -63,14 +63,16 @@ def test_destag_variable_multiple_dims():
     ],
 )
 def test_destag_variable_1d(unstag_dim_name, expected_output_dim_name):
-    staggered = xr.Variable(('bottom_top_stag',), np.arange(5), attrs={'stagger': 'Z'})
+    staggered = xr.Variable(
+        ('bottom_top_stag',), np.arange(5), attrs={'foo': 'bar', 'stagger': 'Z'}
+    )
     output = _destag_variable(staggered, unstag_dim_name=unstag_dim_name)
     # Check values
     np.testing.assert_array_almost_equal(output.values, 0.5 + np.arange(4))
     # Check dim name
     assert output.dims[0] == expected_output_dim_name
     # Check attrs
-    assert not output.attrs
+    assert output.attrs == {'foo': 'bar'}
 
 
 def test_destag_variable_2d():
diff --git a/xwrf/destagger.py b/xwrf/destagger.py
index 9752db87..b8f539c0 100644
--- a/xwrf/destagger.py
+++ b/xwrf/destagger.py
@@ -73,8 +73,8 @@ def _destag_variable(datavar, stagger_dim=None, unstag_dim_name=None):
     return xr.Variable(
         dims=tuple(str(unstag_dim_name) if dim == stagger_dim else dim for dim in center_mean.dims),
         data=center_mean.data,
-        attrs=_drop_attrs(center_mean.attrs, ('stagger',)),
-        encoding=center_mean.encoding,
+        attrs=_drop_attrs(datavar.attrs, ('stagger',)),
+        encoding=datavar.encoding,
         fastpath=True,
     )