diff --git a/bld/build-namelist b/bld/build-namelist
index 4539b02416..739e9cab13 100755
--- a/bld/build-namelist
+++ b/bld/build-namelist
@@ -3136,6 +3136,7 @@ if ($simple_phys) {$use_simple_phys = '.true.';}
 $nl->set_variable_value('phys_ctl_nl', 'use_simple_phys', $use_simple_phys);
 
 #Cam-Oslo options
+add_default($nl, 'use_aerocom');
 add_default($nl, 'volc_fraction_coarse');
 add_default($nl, 'aerotab_table_dir');
 add_default($nl, 'ocean_filepath');
diff --git a/bld/configure b/bld/configure
index 5c8a2bee2b..e084c395cd 100755
--- a/bld/configure
+++ b/bld/configure
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ OPTIONS
   Options used to determine the CAM model configuration.  These options will have an
   effect whether running CAM from CESM scripts or running via CAM standalone scripts:
 
-     -aerocom           Enable AEROCOM cpp-def for OSLO_AERO
      -[no]age_of_air_trcs Switch on [off] age of air tracers. Default: on for waccm_phys, otherwise off.
      -analytic_ic       Enables the (namelist controlled) dycore testing infrastructure
      -aquaplanet        Switch on aqua-planet mode.
@@ -233,7 +232,6 @@ my %opts = (
             cache       => "config_cache.xml",
             );
 GetOptions(
-    "aerocom!"                  => \$opts{'aerocom'},
     "age_of_air_trcs!"          => \$opts{'age_of_air_trcs'},
     "analytic_ic"               => \$opts{'analytic_ic'},
     "aquaplanet"                => \$opts{'aquaplanet'},
@@ -1969,14 +1967,6 @@ if ($silhs == 1) {
 # Simple Models
 if ($simple_phys) { $cfg_cppdefs .= ' -DSIMPLE'; }
 
-# Turn on aerocom
-my $aerocom_opt = (defined $opts{'aerocom'}) ? 1 : 0;
-$cfg_ref->set('aerocom', $aerocom_opt);
-my $aerocom = $cfg_ref->get('aerocom');
-if ($aerocom eq 1) {
-    $cfg_cppdefs .= ' -DAEROCOM';
-}
-
 # UNICON
 if ($unicon) { $cfg_cppdefs .= ' -DUSE_UNICON'; }
 
diff --git a/bld/namelist_files/namelist_defaults_cam.xml b/bld/namelist_files/namelist_defaults_cam.xml
index a2e511b6ff..dbe2ff7a9c 100644
--- a/bld/namelist_files/namelist_defaults_cam.xml
+++ b/bld/namelist_files/namelist_defaults_cam.xml
@@ -3531,6 +3531,7 @@
 <hemco_grid_ydim hgrid="1.9x2.5">91</hemco_grid_ydim>
 
 <!-- CAM-Oslo variables -->
+<use_aerocom>.false.</use_aerocom>
 <dme_energy_adjust>.true.</dme_energy_adjust>
 <volc_fraction_coarse   >0.0</volc_fraction_coarse>
 <aerotab_table_dir>noresm-only/atm/cam/camoslo/AeroTab_8jun17/</aerotab_table_dir>
diff --git a/bld/namelist_files/namelist_definition.xml b/bld/namelist_files/namelist_definition.xml
index 0dc51eea2c..15594a7cc3 100644
--- a/bld/namelist_files/namelist_definition.xml
+++ b/bld/namelist_files/namelist_definition.xml
@@ -9567,11 +9567,18 @@ Simulation year that aligns with stream_year_first_ndep value
 <!-- Oslo-Aero variables  -->
 <!-- ========================================================================================  -->
 
+<entry id="use_aerocom" type="logical" category="cam_oslo"
+       group="oslo_ctl_nl" valid_values="" >
+If true, turn on aerocom output
+Default: false
+</entry>
+
 <entry id="volc_fraction_coarse" type="real" category="cam_oslo"
        group="oslo_ctl_nl" valid_values="" >
 Fraction of volcanic aerosols which will end up in coarse mode
 Default: 0.0
 </entry>
+
 <entry id="aerotab_table_dir" type="char*256" input_pathname="abs" category="cam_oslo"
        group="oslo_ctl_nl" valid_values="" >
 Directory where we will expect to find the CAM-Oslo tables