diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc-openmpi.sh b/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc-openmpi.sh
index 8416283b4..ba4d53717 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc-openmpi.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc-openmpi.sh
@@ -26,3 +26,5 @@ python3 -m pip install -U pip setuptools wheel
 python3 -m pip install -U cmake pytest
 python3 -m pip install -r requirements_mpi.txt
 python3 -m pip install -r examples/requirements.txt
+
+python3 -m pip install -U openPMD-validator
diff --git a/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc.sh b/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc.sh
index 8ebe694fe..ba32efd1f 100755
--- a/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc.sh
+++ b/.github/workflows/dependencies/gcc.sh
@@ -24,3 +24,5 @@ sudo apt-get install -y \
 python3 -m pip install -U pip setuptools wheel
 python3 -m pip install -U cmake pytest
 python3 -m pip install -r examples/requirements.txt
+
+python3 -m pip install -U openPMD-validator
diff --git a/.github/workflows/macos.yml b/.github/workflows/macos.yml
index 72c342211..5c9f92e24 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/macos.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/macos.yml
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ jobs:
         python3 -m pip install --upgrade pytest
         python3 -m pip install -r requirements_mpi.txt
         python3 -m pip install -r examples/requirements.txt
+        python3 -m pip install --upgrade openPMD-validator
         set -e
     - name: CCache Cache
       uses: actions/cache@v3
@@ -93,3 +94,6 @@ jobs:
         { cat Backtrace.0.0; exit 1; }
         impactx.MPI.OMP.DP.OPMD examples/fodo/input_fodo.in algo.particle_shape = 3 || \
         { cat Backtrace.0.0; exit 1; }
+
+    - name: validate created openPMD files
+      run: find build -name *.h5 | xargs -n1 -I{} openPMD_check_h5 -i {}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml b/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
index de2a1c934..7dc20b7e3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ubuntu.yml
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ jobs:
 
         python3 examples/fodo/run_fodo.py
 
+    - name: validate created openPMD files
+      run: find build -name *.h5 | xargs -n1 -I{} openPMD_check_h5 -i {}
+
   build_gcc_python:
     name: GCC w/o MPI w/ Python
     runs-on: ubuntu-20.04
@@ -125,3 +128,6 @@ jobs:
         cmake --build build --target pip_install
 
         python3 examples/fodo/run_fodo.py
+
+    - name: validate created openPMD files
+      run: find build -name *.h5 | xargs -n1 -I{} openPMD_check_h5 -i {}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows.yml b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
index 939717242..3c1c15e8d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows.yml
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ jobs:
         python3 -m pip install -U pip setuptools wheel pytest
         python3 -m pip install -r requirements.txt
         python3 -m pip install -r examples/requirements.txt
+        python3 -m pip install -U openPMD-validator
     - name: Build
       run: |
         $env:HDF5_DIR = "C:/Program Files/HDF_Group/HDF5/1.12.2/cmake/"
@@ -81,6 +82,8 @@ jobs:
         if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }
         cmake --build build --config RelWithDebInfo --target pip_install
         if(!$?) { Exit $LASTEXITCODE }
+    - name: validate created openPMD files
+      run: Get-ChildItem -Path build -Recurse -Filter *.h5 | %{openPMD_check_h5 -i $_}
 
   build_win_clang:
     name: Clang w/ OMP w/o MPI
@@ -137,6 +140,7 @@ jobs:
         python3 -m pip install -U pip setuptools wheel pytest
         python3 -m pip install -r requirements.txt
         python3 -m pip install -r examples/requirements.txt
+        python3 -m pip install -U openPMD-validator
     - name: Build
       shell: cmd
       run: |
@@ -175,3 +179,6 @@ jobs:
 #        if errorlevel 1 exit 1
 #        cmake --build build --target pip_install
 #        if errorlevel 1 exit 1
+
+    - name: validate created openPMD files
+      run: Get-ChildItem -Path build -Recurse -Filter *.h5 | %{openPMD_check_h5 -i $_}
diff --git a/src/particles/elements/diagnostics/openPMD.H b/src/particles/elements/diagnostics/openPMD.H
index 7307c3d5b..0dad78094 100644
--- a/src/particles/elements/diagnostics/openPMD.H
+++ b/src/particles/elements/diagnostics/openPMD.H
@@ -83,11 +83,13 @@ namespace detail
 
         /** Prepare entering the element before starting push logic.
          *
-         * @param[in] pc particle container.
+         * @param[in] pc particle container
+         * @param[in] ref_part reference particle
          * @param[in] step global step for diagnostics
          */
         void prepare (
             PinnedContainer & pc,
+            RefPart const & ref_part,
             int step
         );
 
diff --git a/src/particles/elements/diagnostics/openPMD.cpp b/src/particles/elements/diagnostics/openPMD.cpp
index 310fae05d..27efade83 100644
--- a/src/particles/elements/diagnostics/openPMD.cpp
+++ b/src/particles/elements/diagnostics/openPMD.cpp
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ namespace detail
 
     void BeamMonitor::prepare (
         PinnedContainer & pc,
+        RefPart const & ref_part,
         int step
     ) {
 #ifdef ImpactX_USE_OPENPMD
@@ -253,6 +254,17 @@ namespace detail
                 getComponentRecord(component_name).resetDataset(d_fl);
             }
         }
+
+        // openPMD coarse position
+        {
+            beam["positionOffset"]["x"].resetDataset(d_fl);
+            beam["positionOffset"]["x"].makeConstant(ref_part.x);
+            beam["positionOffset"]["y"].resetDataset(d_fl);
+            beam["positionOffset"]["y"].makeConstant(ref_part.y);
+            beam["positionOffset"]["ct"].resetDataset(d_fl);
+            beam["positionOffset"]["ct"].makeConstant(ref_part.t);
+        }
+
         // AoS: Int
         beam["id"][scalar].resetDataset(d_ui);
 
@@ -298,7 +310,7 @@ namespace detail
         */
 
         // prepare element access
-        this->prepare(pinned_pc, step);
+        this->prepare(pinned_pc, ref_part, step);
 
         // loop over refinement levels
         int const nLevel = pinned_pc.finestLevel();
@@ -320,6 +332,8 @@ namespace detail
         auto series = std::any_cast<io::Series>(m_series);
         io::WriteIterations iterations = series.writeIterations();
         io::Iteration iteration = iterations[m_step];
+
+        // close iteration
         iteration.close();
     }