diff --git a/bld/CLMBuildNamelist.pm b/bld/CLMBuildNamelist.pm
index 143dcf93bc..52873a3589 100755
--- a/bld/CLMBuildNamelist.pm
+++ b/bld/CLMBuildNamelist.pm
@@ -1030,7 +1030,7 @@ sub setup_cmdl_fire_light_res {
     }
     my $fire_method = remove_leading_and_trailing_quotes( $nl->get_value('fire_method') );
     if ( defined($fire_method) && ! &value_is_true($nl_flags->{'use_cn'}) && ! &value_is_true($nl_flags->{'use_fates'}) ) {
-       $log->fatal_error("fire_method is being set even though bgc is NOT cn or bgc.");
+       $log->fatal_error("fire_method is being set while use_cn and use_fates are both false.");
     }
     if ( defined($fire_method) && $fire_method eq "nofire" ) {
        $nl_flags->{$var} = ".false.";
diff --git a/bld/unit_testers/build-namelist_test.pl b/bld/unit_testers/build-namelist_test.pl
index 88229d8cb4..13592ee93c 100755
--- a/bld/unit_testers/build-namelist_test.pl
+++ b/bld/unit_testers/build-namelist_test.pl
@@ -823,7 +823,7 @@ sub make_config_cache {
                                      phys=>"clm5_0",
                                    },
      "usespitfireButNOTFATES"    =>{ options=>"-envxml_dir . -no-megan",
-                                     namelst=>"fates_spitfire_mode>1",
+                                     namelst=>"fates_spitfire_mode>0",
                                      GLC_TWO_WAY_COUPLING=>"FALSE",
                                      phys=>"clm4_5",
                                    },