diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-tests.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-tests.yml
index 893a1af..0d8c98f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-tests.yml
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ jobs:
           git config --global user.name "github-actions"
           git config --global user.email "github-actions@github.com"
       - name: Install xmllint
-        run: sudo apt-get install -y libxml2-utils
+        run: |
+          sudo apt-get update
+          sudo apt-get install -y libxml2-utils
       - name: Checkout VisualCaseGen to temp folder
         uses: actions/checkout@v4
         with:
diff --git a/external/mom6_forge b/external/mom6_forge
index e4f6652..001a64f 160000
--- a/external/mom6_forge
+++ b/external/mom6_forge
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit e4f665253d1055a8bc3c4f4a397e89bcf4469511
+Subproject commit 001a64f5e71eebb421063e713f135908e95c9cce
diff --git a/visualCaseGen/config_vars/launcher_vars.py b/visualCaseGen/config_vars/launcher_vars.py
index 241c662..fdd7e1e 100644
--- a/visualCaseGen/config_vars/launcher_vars.py
+++ b/visualCaseGen/config_vars/launcher_vars.py
@@ -12,12 +12,19 @@
 @owh.out.capture()
 def initialize_launcher_variables(cime):
 
-    ConfigVarStr("CASEROOT") # Path where the case will be created
+    ConfigVarStr("CASEROOT")  # Path where the case will be created
     ConfigVarStr(
         "MACHINE",
-        default_value = cime.machine,
+        default_value=cime.machine,
     )
-    ConfigVarStr("PROJECT", widget_none_val="") # Project ID for the machine
-    ConfigVarStr("CASE_CREATOR_STATUS", widget_none_val="") # a status variable to prevent the completion of the stage
-    ConfigVarInt("NINST", default_value=1) # Number of model instances (Currently, can only be controlled in the backend,
-                                           # particularly when visualCaseGen is used as an external library)
\ No newline at end of file
+    ConfigVarStr("PROJECT", widget_none_val="")  # Project ID for the machine
+    ConfigVarStr(
+        "CASE_CREATOR_STATUS", widget_none_val=""
+    )  # a status variable to prevent the completion of the stage
+    ConfigVarInt(
+        "NINST", default_value=1
+    )  # Number of model instances (Currently, can only be controlled in the backend,
+    # particularly when visualCaseGen is used as an external library)
+    ConfigVarStr(
+        "PECOUNT"
+    )  # PE layout size hint for create_newcase (S, M, L, X1, X2, NxM, or integer); None uses CIME default (M)
diff --git a/visualCaseGen/custom_widget_types/case_creator.py b/visualCaseGen/custom_widget_types/case_creator.py
index fbe8e0b..1c79152 100644
--- a/visualCaseGen/custom_widget_types/case_creator.py
+++ b/visualCaseGen/custom_widget_types/case_creator.py
@@ -484,6 +484,10 @@ def _run_create_newcase(self, caseroot, compset, resolution, do_exec):
             + "--run-unsupported "
         )
 
+        # append pecount if provided:
+        if pecount := cvars["PECOUNT"].value:
+            cmd += f"--pecount {pecount} "
+
         # append project id if needed:
         if project := cvars["PROJECT"].value:
             cmd += f"--project {project} "
@@ -917,4 +921,4 @@ def _update_component_grids_xml(
                 assert modified_mask_mesh.exists(), f"Modified mask mesh file {modified_mask_mesh} does not exist."
                 xmlchange("MASK_MESH", modified_mask_mesh, do_exec, self._is_non_local(), self._out)
         else:
-            assert lnd_grid_mode in [None, "", "Standard"], f"Unknown land grid mode: {lnd_grid_mode}"
+            assert lnd_grid_mode in [None, "", "Standard"], f"Unknown land grid mode: {lnd_grid_mode}"
\ No newline at end of file