diff --git a/cime_config/buildnml b/cime_config/buildnml
index 4cdcb7aac..bddd97274 100755
--- a/cime_config/buildnml
+++ b/cime_config/buildnml
@@ -62,10 +62,12 @@ def _create_drv_namelists(case, infile, confdir, nmlgen, files):
     config['lnd_grid'] = lnd_grid
     config['ice_grid'] = ice_grid
     config['ocn_grid'] = ocn_grid
-    config['samegrid_atm_lnd'] = 'true' if atm_grid == lnd_grid else 'false'
-    config['samegrid_atm_ice'] = 'true' if atm_grid == ice_grid else 'false'
-    config['samegrid_atm_ocn'] = 'true' if atm_grid == ocn_grid else 'false'
-    config['samegrid_atm_wav'] = 'true' if atm_grid == wav_grid else 'false'
+
+    atm_mesh = case.get_value("ATM_DOMAIN_MESH")
+    config['samegrid_atm_lnd'] = 'true' if atm_mesh == case.get_value("LND_DOMAIN_MESH") else 'false'
+    config['samegrid_atm_ice'] = 'true' if atm_mesh == case.get_value("ICE_DOMAIN_MESH") else 'false'
+    config['samegrid_atm_ocn'] = 'true' if atm_grid == case.get_value("OCN_DOMAIN_MESH") else 'false'
+    config['samegrid_atm_wav'] = 'true' if atm_grid == case.get_value("WAV_DOMAIN_MESH") else 'false'
     config['samegrid_lnd_rof'] = 'true' if lnd_grid == rof_grid else 'false'
 
     # determine if need to set atm_domainfile