diff --git a/firedrake/adjoint/all_at_once_reduced_functional.py b/firedrake/adjoint/all_at_once_reduced_functional.py
index 42f3f90965..437bd4623f 100644
--- a/firedrake/adjoint/all_at_once_reduced_functional.py
+++ b/firedrake/adjoint/all_at_once_reduced_functional.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 from typing import Callable, Optional
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from mpi4py import MPI
-from firedrake.petsc import PETSc
 
 __all__ = ['AllAtOnceReducedFunctional']
 
@@ -77,6 +76,20 @@ def _ad_sub(left, right):
     return result
 
 
+def _intermediate_options(final_options):
+    """
+    Options set for the intermediate stages of a chain of ReducedFunctionals
+
+    Takes all elements of the final_options except riesz_representation,
+    which is set to prevent returning derivatives to the primal space.
+    """
+    return {
+        'riesz_representation': None,
+        **{k: v for k, v in final_options.items()
+           if (k != 'riesz_representation')}
+    }
+
+
 class AllAtOnceReducedFunctional(ReducedFunctional):
     """ReducedFunctional for 4DVar data assimilation.
 
@@ -359,11 +372,7 @@ def derivative(self, adj_input: float = 1.0, options: dict = {}):
 
         # chaining ReducedFunctionals means we need to pass Cofunctions not Functions
         options = options or {}
-        intermediate_options = {
-            'riesz_representation': 'l2',
-            **{k: v for k, v in options.items()
-               if (k != 'riesz_representation')}
-        }
+        intermediate_options = _intermediate_options(options)
 
         # evaluate first forward model, which contributes to previous chunk
         sderiv0 = self.stages[0].derivative(
@@ -627,7 +636,6 @@ def __next__(self):
             stage = StrongObservationStage(control, self.aaorf)
             self._prev_stage = stage
 
-
         return stage, self.ctx
 
 
@@ -903,11 +911,7 @@ def derivative(self, adj_input: float = 1.0, options: dict = {},
 
         # chaining ReducedFunctionals means we need to pass Cofunctions not Functions
         options = options or {}
-        intermediate_options = {
-            'riesz_representation': None,
-            **{k: v for k, v in options.items()
-               if (k != 'riesz_representation')}
-        }
+        intermediate_options = _intermediate_options(options)
 
         if (rftype is None) or (rftype == 'model'):
             # derivative of reduction
@@ -922,8 +926,16 @@ def derivative(self, adj_input: float = 1.0, options: dict = {},
             dm_forward = self.forward_model.derivative(adj_input=dm_errors[0],
                                                        options=options)
 
+            sentinel = -12345
+            riesz_map = options.get('riesz_representation', sentinel)
             derivatives.append(dm_forward)
-            derivatives.append(dm_errors[1].riesz_representation())
+            if riesz_map != sentinel:
+                if riesz_map is None:
+                    derivatives.append(dm_errors[1])
+                else:
+                    derivatives.append(dm_errors[1].riesz_representation(riesz_map))
+            else:
+                derivatives.append(dm_errors[1].riesz_representation())
 
         if (rftype is None) or (rftype == 'obs'):
             # derivative of reduction