diff --git a/components/mpas-albany-landice/bld/namelist_files/namelist_defaults_mali.xml b/components/mpas-albany-landice/bld/namelist_files/namelist_defaults_mali.xml
index 0450eb44f116..8dc305533ca3 100644
--- a/components/mpas-albany-landice/bld/namelist_files/namelist_defaults_mali.xml
+++ b/components/mpas-albany-landice/bld/namelist_files/namelist_defaults_mali.xml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 <!-- advection -->
 <config_thickness_advection>'fo'</config_thickness_advection>
-<config_tracer_advection>'none'</config_tracer_advection>
+<config_tracer_advection>'fo'</config_tracer_advection>
 <config_horiz_tracer_adv_order>3</config_horiz_tracer_adv_order>
 <config_advection_coef_3rd_order>0.25</config_advection_coef_3rd_order>
 <config_restore_thickness_after_advection>.false.</config_restore_thickness_after_advection>
diff --git a/components/mpas-albany-landice/cime_config/buildnml b/components/mpas-albany-landice/cime_config/buildnml
index 9489b6dfa8fd..3b38ed39c438 100755
--- a/components/mpas-albany-landice/cime_config/buildnml
+++ b/components/mpas-albany-landice/cime_config/buildnml
@@ -280,7 +280,9 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
         lines.append('    <var name="simulationStartTime"/>')
         lines.append('    <var name="allowableDtACFL"/>')
         lines.append('    <var name="allowableDtDCFL"/>')
-        lines.append('    <var name="albanyVelocityError"/>')
+        if mali_use_albany:
+            lines.append('    <var name="albanyVelocityError"/>')
+
         lines.append('</stream>')
         lines.append('')
         lines.append('<!--')