diff --git a/test/io/test_structured_face_order.py b/test/io/test_structured_face_order.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9088e2be6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/io/test_structured_face_order.py
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+"""Synthetic regressions for structured data-to-face alignment (GH #1828)."""
+
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+import xarray as xr
+
+import uxarray as ux
+from uxarray.errors import DimensionError
+
+
+def _structured_dataset(reverse_variables=False, time_order=None, lazy=False):
+    """Return equal fields with deliberately different spatial dimension orders."""
+    ds = xr.Dataset(
+        {
+            "yfirst": (("y", "x"), [[0.0, 20.0, 40.0], [100.0, 120.0, 140.0]]),
+            "xfirst": (("x", "y"), [[1.0, 2.0], [3.0, 4.0], [5.0, 6.0]]),
+        },
+        coords={
+            "x": ("x", [0.0, 20.0, 40.0], {"standard_name": "longitude"}),
+            "y": ("y", [-10.0, 50.0], {"standard_name": "latitude"}),
+        },
+        attrs={"synthetic": "GH1828"},
+    )
+    if reverse_variables:
+        ds = ds[["xfirst", "yfirst"]]
+    if time_order is not None:
+        ds = xr.concat([ds, ds + 1000.0], dim=xr.IndexVariable("time", [0, 1]))
+        ds = ds.transpose(*time_order)
+    if lazy:
+        ds = ds.chunk({"x": 1, "y": 1})
+    return ds
+
+
+def _assert_face_alignment(mapped, original):
+    """Check each value against geometry, not just another flattened dataset."""
+    grid = mapped.uxgrid
+    assert grid._source_dims_dict == {"n_face": ("x", "y")}
+    # The six non-polar faces have four nodes. Read their locations to establish
+    # the physical row-major face order independently of the mapping helper.
+    nodes = grid.face_node_connectivity.values
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(
+        grid.node_lon.values[nodes].mean(axis=1), np.tile(original.x.values, 2)
+    )
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(
+        grid.node_lat.values[nodes].mean(axis=1), np.repeat(original.y.values, 3)
+    )
+    for name in original.data_vars:
+        other_dims = [dim for dim in original[name].dims if dim not in ("x", "y")]
+        field = original[name].transpose(*other_dims, "y", "x")
+        expected = field.values.reshape(*field.shape[:-2], 6)
+        actual = mapped[name].transpose(*other_dims, "n_face")
+        np.testing.assert_array_equal(actual.values, expected)
+        np.testing.assert_allclose(
+            actual.integrate().values,
+            np.sum(expected * grid.face_areas.values, axis=-1),
+        )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("constructor", ["from_xarray", "from_structured"])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("reverse_variables", [False, True])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("time_order", [None, ("time", "y", "x"), ("x", "time", "y")])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("lazy", [False, True])
+def test_structured_face_order(constructor, reverse_variables, time_order, lazy):
+    """Variable insertion order, axis order, and chunks cannot change face values."""
+    ds = _structured_dataset(reverse_variables, time_order, lazy)
+    original = ds.copy(deep=True)
+    grid = ux.Grid.from_structured(lon=ds.x, lat=ds.y)
+    if constructor == "from_xarray":
+        mapped = ux.UxDataset.from_xarray(ds, uxgrid=grid)
+        assert mapped.uxgrid is grid
+    else:
+        mapped = ux.UxDataset.from_structured(ds)
+    if lazy:
+        assert all(mapped[name].chunks is not None for name in ds.data_vars)
+    xr.testing.assert_identical(ds, original)
+    _assert_face_alignment(mapped, original)
+
+
+def test_structured_variable_order_preserves_face_index():
+    """Equal datasets must retain equal n_face indexes after conversion."""
+    ds0 = _structured_dataset()
+    ds1 = _structured_dataset(reverse_variables=True)
+    assert ds0.equals(ds1)
+    grid = ux.Grid.from_structured(lon=ds0.x, lat=ds0.y)
+    mapped0 = ux.UxDataset.from_xarray(ds0, uxgrid=grid)
+    mapped1 = ux.UxDataset.from_xarray(ds1, uxgrid=grid)
+    assert mapped0.indexes["n_face"].equals(mapped1.indexes["n_face"])
+    for name in ds0.data_vars:
+        xr.testing.assert_identical(mapped0[name], mapped1[name])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("square", [False, True])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("transpose", [False, True])
+def test_structured_explicit_mapping_with_renamed_dimensions(square, transpose):
+    """Explicit mappings may use names unlike the Grid's source dimensions."""
+    lon = xr.DataArray([0.0, 20.0, 40.0], dims="x")
+    lat = xr.DataArray([-10.0, 20.0, 50.0] if square else [-10.0, 50.0], dims="y")
+    grid = ux.Grid.from_structured(lon=lon, lat=lat)
+    ds = xr.Dataset({"field": 2.0 * lat + lon}).rename({"x": "column", "y": "row"})
+    if transpose:
+        ds = ds.transpose("column", "row")
+    original = ds.copy(deep=True)
+    grid_data = grid._ds.copy(deep=True)
+    source_dims = grid._source_dims_dict.copy()
+    mapping = {"n_face": ("column", "row")}
+
+    mapped = ux.UxDataset.from_xarray(ds, uxgrid=grid, ugrid_dims=mapping)
+
+    assert mapped.uxgrid is grid
+    assert grid.source_grid_spec == "Structured"
+    assert grid._source_dims_dict == source_dims == {"n_face": ("x", "y")}
+    assert mapping == {"n_face": ("column", "row")}
+    xr.testing.assert_identical(grid._ds, grid_data)
+    xr.testing.assert_identical(ds, original)
+    # Recover each face's physical center independently of dimension stacking.
+    nodes = grid.face_node_connectivity.values
+    face_lon = grid.node_lon.values[nodes].mean(axis=1)
+    face_lat = grid.node_lat.values[nodes].mean(axis=1)
+    assert mapped.field.dims == ("n_face",)
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(mapped.field.values, 2.0 * face_lat + face_lon)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("transpose", [False, True])
+def test_structured_netcdf_face_selection(tmp_path, transpose):
+    """Read a member file, attach the same Grid, and select the correct face."""
+    ds = _structured_dataset()
+    if transpose:
+        ds = ds.transpose("x", "y")
+    grid = ux.Grid.from_structured(lon=ds.x, lat=ds.y)
+    path = tmp_path / "synthetic-member.nc"
+    ds.to_netcdf(path)
+    with xr.open_dataset(path) as reopened:
+        mapped = ux.UxDataset.from_xarray(reopened, uxgrid=grid)
+        _assert_face_alignment(mapped, reopened)
+        selected = mapped["yfirst"].isel(n_face=[1, 4])
+        np.testing.assert_array_equal(selected.values, [20.0, 120.0])
+        assert selected.uxgrid.n_face == 2
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("missing", ["x", "y", "both"])
+def test_structured_missing_source_dimension_raises(missing):
+    """Do not silently produce an unflattened result for an incompatible Grid."""
+    ds = _structured_dataset()
+    grid = ux.Grid.from_structured(lon=ds.x, lat=ds.y)
+    ds = ds.isel({dim: 0 for dim in ("x", "y") if missing in (dim, "both")})
+    with pytest.raises(DimensionError, match="selected mapping's spatial dimensions"):
+        ux.UxDataset.from_xarray(ds, uxgrid=grid)
+
+
+def test_structured_coordinate_name_mapping_mismatch_raises():
+    """Keep bad source metadata visible instead of silently retaining x/y."""
+    ds = _structured_dataset().rename_vars({"x": "longitude", "y": "latitude"})
+    # Grid.from_dataset currently records coordinate names rather than dimension
+    # names for this input. Correcting that metadata is separate from GH1828.
+    with pytest.raises(DimensionError, match="selected mapping's spatial dimensions"):
+        ux.UxDataset.from_structured(ds)
diff --git a/uxarray/core/dataset.py b/uxarray/core/dataset.py
index da3e73102..491b407c1 100644
--- a/uxarray/core/dataset.py
+++ b/uxarray/core/dataset.py
@@ -322,12 +322,20 @@ def from_xarray(cls, ds: xr.Dataset, uxgrid: Grid = None, ugrid_dims: dict = Non
         Parameters
         ----------
         ds: xr.Dataset
-            An Xarray dataset containing data residing on an unstructured grid
+            An Xarray dataset containing data residing on an unstructured grid,
+            or structured data paired with a ``Grid`` that records its source
+            longitude and latitude dimensions. Structured dimensions are stacked
+            onto ``n_face`` in the Grid's latitude-major, longitude-minor face
+            order, independently of variable or dimension order. Non-spatial
+            dimensions are retained.
         uxgrid: Grid, optional
             ``Grid`` object representing an unstructured grid. If a grid is not provided, the source ds will be
             parsed to see if a ``Grid`` can be constructed.
         ugrid_dims: dict, optional
-            A dictionary mapping dataset dimensions to UGRID dimensions.
+            A dictionary describing the mapping between dataset and UGRID dimensions.
+            For structured grids, for example, ``{"n_face": ("x", "y")}`` uses
+            the UGRID dimension as the key and the dataset's longitude and
+            latitude dimensions as the tuple value, in that order.
 
         Returns
         -------
diff --git a/uxarray/core/utils.py b/uxarray/core/utils.py
index 84c0a2dc6..b3a78138c 100644
--- a/uxarray/core/utils.py
+++ b/uxarray/core/utils.py
@@ -61,18 +61,16 @@ def _map_dims_to_ugrid(
     "nCell": "n_face")"""
 
     if grid.source_grid_spec == "Structured":
-        # Case for structured grids, flatten bottom two sptial dimensions
-
         lon_name, lat_name = _source_dims_dict["n_face"]
-
-        for var_name in ds.data_vars:
-            if lon_name in ds[var_name].dims and lat_name in ds[var_name].dims:
-                if ds[var_name].dims[-1] == lon_name:
-                    dim_ordered = [lat_name, lon_name]
-                else:
-                    dim_ordered = [lon_name, lat_name]
-
-        ds = ds.stack(n_face=dim_ordered)
+        if lon_name not in ds.dims or lat_name not in ds.dims:
+            raise DimensionError(
+                "Structured data must contain the selected mapping's spatial "
+                f"dimensions {lon_name!r} and {lat_name!r}; got {tuple(ds.dims)!r}."
+            )
+        # Structured Grid faces are latitude-major, longitude-minor. The source
+        # mapping stores (longitude, latitude), not the stacking order. Match
+        # the geometry regardless of each variable's axis or insertion order.
+        ds = ds.stack(n_face=(lat_name, lon_name))
 
     elif grid.source_grid_spec == "GEOS-CS":
         # stack dimensions to flatten them to map to nodes or faces