diff --git a/nlmod/read/regis.py b/nlmod/read/regis.py
index f1ba8683..a26feb7b 100644
--- a/nlmod/read/regis.py
+++ b/nlmod/read/regis.py
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ def get_regis(
     remove_nan_layers=True,
     drop_layer_dim_from_top=True,
     probabilities=False,
+    nodata=-9999,
 ):
     """Get a regis dataset projected on the modelgrid.
 
@@ -125,6 +126,9 @@ def get_regis(
         possibilities of gaps between layers. The default is True.
     probabilities : bool, optional
         if True, also download probability data. The default is False.
+    nodata : int or float, optional
+        When nodata is not None, set values equal to nodata to nan. The default is
+        -9999.
 
     Returns
     -------
@@ -158,6 +162,18 @@ def get_regis(
     # rename bottom to botm, as it is called in FloPy
     ds = ds.rename_vars({"bottom": "botm"})
 
+    # slice data vars
+    if variables is not None:
+        if probabilities:
+            variables = variables + ("sdh", "sdv")
+        ds = ds[list(variables)]
+
+    # since version REGIS v02r2s2 (22.07.2024) NaN values are replaced by -9999
+    # we set these values to NaN again
+    if nodata is not None:
+        for var in variables:
+            ds[var] = ds[var].where(ds[var] != nodata)
+
     if remove_nan_layers:
         # only keep layers with at least one active cell
         ds = ds.sel(layer=~(np.isnan(ds["botm"])).all(ds["botm"].dims[1:]))
@@ -168,12 +184,6 @@ def get_regis(
     if drop_layer_dim_from_top:
         ds = remove_layer_dim_from_top(ds)
 
-    # slice data vars
-    if variables is not None:
-        if probabilities:
-            variables = variables + ("sdh", "sdv")
-        ds = ds[list(variables)]
-
     ds.attrs["gridtype"] = "structured"
     ds.attrs["extent"] = extent
     for datavar in ds:
diff --git a/nlmod/version.py b/nlmod/version.py
index 213fe8f0..427fcd7b 100644
--- a/nlmod/version.py
+++ b/nlmod/version.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from importlib import metadata
 from platform import python_version
 
-__version__ = "0.8.0"
+__version__ = "0.8.1"
 
 
 def show_versions() -> None: