diff --git a/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/codegens/gtfn/itir_to_gtfn_ir.py b/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/codegens/gtfn/itir_to_gtfn_ir.py
index ecd8ed88ed..643319e99d 100644
--- a/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/codegens/gtfn/itir_to_gtfn_ir.py
+++ b/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/codegens/gtfn/itir_to_gtfn_ir.py
@@ -206,17 +206,27 @@ def _bool_from_literal(node: itir.Node) -> bool:
 
 class _CannonicalizeUnstructuredDomain(eve.NodeTranslator):
     def visit_FunCall(self, node: itir.FunCall) -> itir.FunCall:
-        if node.fun == itir.SymRef(id="unstructured_domain"):
+        if cpm.is_call_to(node, "unstructured_domain"):
             # for no good reason, the domain arguments for unstructured need to be in order (horizontal, vertical)
             assert isinstance(node.args[0], itir.FunCall)
             first_axis_literal = node.args[0].args[0]
             assert isinstance(first_axis_literal, itir.AxisLiteral)
-            if first_axis_literal.kind == itir.DimensionKind.VERTICAL:
-                assert len(node.args) == 2
-                assert isinstance(node.args[1], itir.FunCall)
-                assert isinstance(node.args[1].args[0], itir.AxisLiteral)
-                assert node.args[1].args[0].kind == itir.DimensionKind.HORIZONTAL
-                return itir.FunCall(fun=node.fun, args=[node.args[1], node.args[0]])
+            if len(node.args) == 1:
+                if first_axis_literal.kind == itir.DimensionKind.VERTICAL:
+                    # a horizontal domain is needed in unstructured, so we convert a K-only domain to cartesian
+                    dim = common.Dimension(first_axis_literal.value, first_axis_literal.kind)
+                    return im.domain(
+                        common.GridType.CARTESIAN,
+                        {dim: (node.args[0].args[1], node.args[0].args[2])},
+                    )
+            elif len(node.args) == 2:
+                if first_axis_literal.kind == itir.DimensionKind.VERTICAL:
+                    assert isinstance(node.args[1], itir.FunCall)
+                    assert isinstance(node.args[1].args[0], itir.AxisLiteral)
+                    assert node.args[1].args[0].kind == itir.DimensionKind.HORIZONTAL
+                    return itir.FunCall(fun=node.fun, args=[node.args[1], node.args[0]])
+            else:
+                raise NotImplementedError("Only up to two dimensional domains are supported.")
         return node
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/tests/next_tests/integration_tests/feature_tests/ffront_tests/test_execution.py b/tests/next_tests/integration_tests/feature_tests/ffront_tests/test_execution.py
index 8060d5bb36..20ff36ae6d 100644
--- a/tests/next_tests/integration_tests/feature_tests/ffront_tests/test_execution.py
+++ b/tests/next_tests/integration_tests/feature_tests/ffront_tests/test_execution.py
@@ -64,6 +64,14 @@ def testee(a: cases.IJKField) -> cases.IJKField:
     cases.verify_with_default_data(cartesian_case, testee, ref=lambda a: a)
 
 
+def test_copy_vertical(unstructured_case_3d):
+    @gtx.field_operator
+    def testee(a: cases.KField) -> cases.KField:
+        return a
+
+    cases.verify_with_default_data(unstructured_case_3d, testee, ref=lambda a: a)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.uses_tuple_returns
 def test_multicopy(cartesian_case):
     @gtx.field_operator