diff --git a/cime_config/buildnml b/cime_config/buildnml
index 6ef0f906..b57f785a 100755
--- a/cime_config/buildnml
+++ b/cime_config/buildnml
@@ -322,6 +322,20 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
                     fwrite.write(line)
     shutil.move(namelist_file_temp, namelist_file)
 
+    # change xml variable settings if appropriate
+    # Note - this does not change the blom namelist - it changes xml variables that are then
+    # used by cmeps to change attributes that are sent to the atm
+    # TODO: add n2o_emis and nh3_emis logic
+    if "ecosys" in case.get_value("BLOM_TRACER_MODULES"):
+        dms_emis = case.get_value("DMS_EMIS")
+        if dms_emis is not None or dms_emis is False:
+            case.set_value('DMS_EMIS_OCN','TRUE')
+            print ("   ***Resetting DMS_EMIS_OCN to TRUE***")
+        brf_emis = pg_blom.get_value('use_bromo')
+        if brf_emis == ".true.":
+            case.set_value('BRF_EMIS_OCN','TRUE')
+            print ("   ***Resetting BRF_EMIS to TRUE***")
+
 ###############################################################################
 def _main_func():