diff --git a/docs/source/release-notes/version_1.0_updates.rst b/docs/source/release-notes/version_1.0_updates.rst
index f8f4cca1..1c5e8c29 100644
--- a/docs/source/release-notes/version_1.0_updates.rst
+++ b/docs/source/release-notes/version_1.0_updates.rst
@@ -11,6 +11,15 @@ Version 1.0 Updates
 
 
 
+Version 1.0.2
+==============
+
+Fixes
++++++++++++++
+
+- Fixed issue when the ``area`` could not be specified as a string for a MARS request in the :ref:`mars source <data-sources-mars>` (:pr:`1049` and :pr:`1053`).
+
+
 Version 1.0.1
 ==============
 
diff --git a/tests/sources/test_mars.py b/tests/sources/test_mars.py
index 469d4b1a..9c7dae47 100644
--- a/tests/sources/test_mars.py
+++ b/tests/sources/test_mars.py
@@ -244,8 +244,8 @@ def test_mars_grib_save():
         assert len(ds1) == 1
 
 
-# @pytest.mark.long_test
-# @pytest.mark.download
+@pytest.mark.long_test
+@pytest.mark.download
 @pytest.mark.skipif(NO_MARS, reason="No access to MARS")
 def test_mars_grib_area_str():
     s = from_source(