diff --git a/bld/CLMBuildNamelist.pm b/bld/CLMBuildNamelist.pm
index 0f7f6891c5..7e2e4294af 100755
--- a/bld/CLMBuildNamelist.pm
+++ b/bld/CLMBuildNamelist.pm
@@ -784,7 +784,8 @@ sub setup_cmdl_fates_mode {
        my @list  = (  "fates_spitfire_mode", "use_fates_planthydro", "use_fates_ed_st3", "use_fates_ed_prescribed_phys",
                       "use_fates_cohort_age_tracking","use_fates_inventory_init","use_fates_fixed_biogeog",
                       "use_fates_nocomp","use_fates_sp","fates_inventory_ctrl_filename","fates_harvest_mode",
-                      "fates_parteh_mode","use_fates_tree_damage","fates_seeddisp_cadence","use_fates_luh","fluh_timeseries","flandusepftdat");
+                      "fates_parteh_mode","use_fates_tree_damage","fates_seeddisp_cadence","use_fates_luh","fluh_timeseries","flandusepftdat",
+                      "use_fates_potentialveg");
        # dis-allow fates specific namelist items with non-fates runs
        foreach my $var ( @list ) {
           if ( defined($nl->get_value($var)) ) {