diff --git a/cime_config/buildnml b/cime_config/buildnml
index ff2553be..13ebe5eb 100755
--- a/cime_config/buildnml
+++ b/cime_config/buildnml
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ def _create_drv_namelists(case, infile, confdir, nmlgen, files):
     elif case.get_value("RUN_TYPE") == "branch":
         config["run_type"] = "branch"
 
-    config['wav_ice_coupling'] = config['COMP_WAV'] == 'ww3dev' and config['COMP_ICE'] == 'cice'
+    config['wav_ice_coupling'] = 'ww3' in config['COMP_WAV'] and config['COMP_ICE'] == 'cice'
 
     # ----------------------------------------------------
     # Initialize namelist defaults