diff --git a/cime_config/usermods_dirs/NEON/defaults/shell_commands b/cime_config/usermods_dirs/NEON/defaults/shell_commands
index 39810dbc70..e769239899 100644
--- a/cime_config/usermods_dirs/NEON/defaults/shell_commands
+++ b/cime_config/usermods_dirs/NEON/defaults/shell_commands
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ TEST=`./xmlquery TEST --value`
 
 # For a transient case run the whole length and don't cycle
 if  [[ $compset =~ ^HIST ]]; then
+  ./xmlchange CALENDAR=GREGORIAN
   ./xmlchange DATM_YR_END=2022
   ./xmlchange RUN_STARTDATE=2018-01-01
   # Number of months that can be run for the full transient case
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ if  [[ $compset =~ ^HIST ]]; then
   ./xmlchange CLM_NML_USE_CASE="2018-PD_transient"
 else
   ./xmlchange CLM_NML_USE_CASE="2018_control"
+  ./xmlchange CALENDAR=NO_LEAP
 fi
 
 # If needed for SP simulations: & set history file variables
diff --git a/cime_config/usermods_dirs/NEON/defaults/user_nl_clm b/cime_config/usermods_dirs/NEON/defaults/user_nl_clm
index 419ff0314c..f0e7142990 100644
--- a/cime_config/usermods_dirs/NEON/defaults/user_nl_clm
+++ b/cime_config/usermods_dirs/NEON/defaults/user_nl_clm
@@ -18,9 +18,6 @@
 ! Set glc_do_dynglacier  with GLC_TWO_WAY_COUPLING               env variable
 !----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-flanduse_timeseries = ' '   ! This isn't needed for a non transient case, but will be once we start using transient compsets
-fsurdat = "$DIN_LOC_ROOT/lnd/clm2/surfdata_map/NEON/surfdata_1x1_NEON_${NEONSITE}_hist_78pfts_CMIP6_simyr2000_c230601.nc"
-
 ! h1 output stream 
 hist_fincl2 = 'AR','ELAI','FCEV','FCTR','FGEV','FIRA','FSA','FSH','GPP','H2OSOI',
              'HR','SNOW_DEPTH','TBOT','TSOI','SOILC_vr','FV','NET_NMIN_vr'
diff --git a/python/ctsm/site_and_regional/tower_site.py b/python/ctsm/site_and_regional/tower_site.py
index 1679df83e9..1f0bb93b24 100644
--- a/python/ctsm/site_and_regional/tower_site.py
+++ b/python/ctsm/site_and_regional/tower_site.py
@@ -391,11 +391,13 @@ def run_case(
                 case.set_value("RUN_TYPE", "hybrid")
 
             if run_type == "postad":
+                case.case_setup()
                 self.set_ref_case(case)
                 case.set_value("STOP_N", run_length)
 
             # For transient cases STOP will be set in the user_mod_directory
             if run_type == "transient":
+                case.case_setup()
                 if self.finidat:
                     case.set_value("RUN_TYPE", "startup")
                 else: