diff --git a/share/metkit/language.yaml b/share/metkit/language.yaml
index 877eaf2b..b232f69a 100644
--- a/share/metkit/language.yaml
+++ b/share/metkit/language.yaml
@@ -650,7 +650,12 @@ _field: &_field
     category: data
     aliases: [levtyp]
     defaults:
-      - vals: [pl]
+      - context:
+          stream: ['!', dacw, dcwv, ewda, ewhc, ewla, ewmm, ewmo, lwwv, mawm, mawv, mfaw, mfhw, mfwm, mhwm, mnfw, mswm, scwv, swmm, waef, wamd, wamf, wamo, wams, wasf, wave, weef, weeh, wees, wehs, weov, wmfm, wvhc]
+        vals: [pl]
+      - context:
+          stream: [dacw, dcwv, ewda, ewhc, ewla, ewmm, ewmo, lwwv, mawm, mawv, mfaw, mfhw, mfwm, mhwm, mnfw, mswm, scwv, swmm, waef, wamd, wamf, wamo, wams, wasf, wave, weef, weeh, wees, wehs, weov, wmfm, wvhc]
+        vals: [sfc]
     flatten: false
     type: [enum, integer]
     values:
diff --git a/share/metkit/modifiers.yaml b/share/metkit/modifiers.yaml
index 5376e985..117fef74 100644
--- a/share/metkit/modifiers.yaml
+++ b/share/metkit/modifiers.yaml
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@
     stream: [ssmi]
   unset: [levtype, levelist, param, grid, rotation]
 
-# new default for levtype=ml, to be enabled later
 - context:
     levtype: [ml]
   defaults:
diff --git a/tests/expand/MARSC-385.expected b/tests/expand/MARSC-385.expected
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7ee8f30c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/expand/MARSC-385.expected
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+RETRIEVE,
+    CLASS      = OD,
+    TYPE       = PF,
+    STREAM     = WAEF,
+    EXPVER     = 0001,
+    REPRES     = SH,
+    LEVTYPE    = SFC,
+    PARAM      = 140229/140232/140245,
+    DATE       = 20201101,
+    TIME       = 0000/0600/1200/1800,
+    STEP       = 9,
+    NUMBER     = 1,
+    DOMAIN     = G,
+    TARGET     = reference.0GhkzD.data,
+    RESOL      = AUTO,
+    AREA       = 39.5/140/39.5/140,
+    GRID       = .1/.1,
+    PADDING    = 0
diff --git a/tests/expand/MARSC-385.req b/tests/expand/MARSC-385.req
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4b615f39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/expand/MARSC-385.req
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+retrieve,
+    area=39.5/140/39.5/140,
+    class=od,
+    date=20201101,
+    expver=1,
+    grid=0.1/0.1,
+    number=1,
+    padding=0,
+    param=229.140/232.140/245.140,
+    step=9,
+    stream=waef,
+    time=00/06/12/18,
+    type=pf,
+    target=reference.0GhkzD.data