diff --git a/zppy_interfaces/global_time_series/coupled_global.py b/zppy_interfaces/global_time_series/coupled_global.py
index 01362ff..afd7d90 100644
--- a/zppy_interfaces/global_time_series/coupled_global.py
+++ b/zppy_interfaces/global_time_series/coupled_global.py
@@ -332,11 +332,17 @@ def coupled_global(parameters: Parameters) -> None:
         # In this case, we don't want the summary PDF.
         # Rather, we want to construct a viewer similar to E3SM Diags.
         title_and_url_list: List[Tuple[str, str]] = []
-        for component in ["original", "atm", "ice", "lnd", "ocn"]:
+        for component in ["atm", "ice", "lnd", "ocn"]:  # Don't create viewer for original component
             vars = get_vars(requested_variables, component)
             if vars:
                 url = create_viewer(parameters, vars, component)
                 logger.info(f"Viewer URL for {component}: {url}")
                 title_and_url_list.append((component, url))
+        # Special case for original - these are always multi-plot PDFs
+        vars = get_vars(requested_variables, "original")
+        if vars:
+            logger.info("Original plots will be in multi-plot PDF format")
+            title_and_url_list.append(("original", f"{parameters.results_dir}/{parameters.figstr}_glb_original.pdf"))
+        
         index_url: str = create_viewer_index(parameters.results_dir, title_and_url_list)
         logger.info(f"Viewer index URL: {index_url}")
diff --git a/zppy_interfaces/global_time_series/coupled_global_plotting.py b/zppy_interfaces/global_time_series/coupled_global_plotting.py
index 3973a77..579b3a2 100644
--- a/zppy_interfaces/global_time_series/coupled_global_plotting.py
+++ b/zppy_interfaces/global_time_series/coupled_global_plotting.py
@@ -554,7 +554,16 @@ def make_plot_pdfs(  # noqa: C901
     num_plots = len(plot_list)
     if num_plots == 0:
         return
-    plots_per_page = parameters.nrows * parameters.ncols
+    
+    # For original plots, always use multiple plots per page regardless of make_viewer setting
+    use_multi_plot = not parameters.make_viewer or component == "original"
+    
+    # Determine layout based on whether we're using multi-plot or single-plot mode
+    if use_multi_plot:
+        plots_per_page = parameters.nrows * parameters.ncols
+    else:
+        plots_per_page = 1  # For viewer mode, one plot per page
+    
     num_pages = math.ceil(num_plots / plots_per_page)
 
     counter = 0
@@ -573,7 +582,9 @@ def make_plot_pdfs(  # noqa: C901
             # The final page doesn't need to be filled out with plots.
             if counter >= num_plots:
                 break
-            ax = plt.subplot(parameters.nrows, parameters.ncols, j + 1)
+            ax = plt.subplot(parameters.nrows if use_multi_plot else 1, 
+                            parameters.ncols if use_multi_plot else 1, 
+                            j + 1)
             if component == "original":
                 try:
                     plot_function = PLOT_DICT[plot_list[counter]]
@@ -616,6 +627,7 @@ def make_plot_pdfs(  # noqa: C901
 
         fig.tight_layout()
         pdf.savefig(1)
+        # Always save individual PNGs for viewer mode
         if plots_per_page == 1:
             fig.savefig(
                 f"{parameters.results_dir}/{parameters.figstr}_{rgn}_{component}_{plot_name}.png",
diff --git a/zppy_interfaces/global_time_series/utils.py b/zppy_interfaces/global_time_series/utils.py
index 84fb649..b494da4 100644
--- a/zppy_interfaces/global_time_series/utils.py
+++ b/zppy_interfaces/global_time_series/utils.py
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ def __init__(self, args: Dict[str, str]):
             raise RuntimeError(
                 f"make_viewer requires 1x1 plots, but nrows={self.nrows} and ncols={self.ncols}"
             )
+        # For "original" plots, always use multiple plots per page regardless of make_viewer setting
+        self.original_plots_multi: bool = True
 
         # For both
         self.year1: int = int(args["start_yr"])