diff --git a/utils/python/CIME/SystemTests/homme.py b/utils/python/CIME/SystemTests/homme.py
index bca5858b708b..fdd17458fc2a 100644
--- a/utils/python/CIME/SystemTests/homme.py
+++ b/utils/python/CIME/SystemTests/homme.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 """
 from CIME.XML.standard_module_setup import *
 from CIME.SystemTests.system_tests_common import SystemTestsCommon
-from CIME.build import post_build, case_build
+from CIME.build import post_build
 
 import shutil
 
diff --git a/utils/python/CIME/SystemTests/system_tests_common.py b/utils/python/CIME/SystemTests/system_tests_common.py
index dd0503edecbc..79506006bba8 100644
--- a/utils/python/CIME/SystemTests/system_tests_common.py
+++ b/utils/python/CIME/SystemTests/system_tests_common.py
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ def build_phase(self, sharedlib_only=False, model_only=False):
 
             os.chmod(modelexe, 0755)
 
-            post_build(self._case, [])
+            build.post_build(self._case, [])
 
     def run_phase(self):
         self.run_indv(suffix=None)
diff --git a/utils/python/CIME/build.py b/utils/python/CIME/build.py
index 0beae8c8b3e9..5d1fed4cb272 100644
--- a/utils/python/CIME/build.py
+++ b/utils/python/CIME/build.py
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 def stringify_bool(val):
-    expect(type(val) is bool, "Wrong type")
+    val = False if val is None else val
+    expect(type(val) is bool, "Wrong type for val '%s'" % repr(val))
     return "TRUE" if val else "FALSE"
 
 ###############################################################################
@@ -232,10 +233,10 @@ def case_build(caseroot, case, sharedlib_only=False, model_only=False):
     os.environ["CAM_CONFIG_OPTS"]      = cam_config_opts     if cam_config_opts     is not None else ""
     os.environ["PIO_CONFIG_OPTS"]      = pio_config_opts     if pio_config_opts     is not None else ""
     os.environ["OCN_SUBMODEL"]         = ocn_submodel        if ocn_submodel        is not None else ""
-    os.environ["PROFILE_PAPI_ENABLE"]  = stringify_bool(profile_papi_enable) if profile_papi_enable is not None else ""
-    os.environ["CLM_USE_PETSC"]        = stringify_bool(clm_use_petsc)       if clm_use_petsc       is not None else ""
-    os.environ["CISM_USE_TRILINOS"]    = stringify_bool(cism_use_trilinos)   if cism_use_trilinos   is not None else ""
-    os.environ["MPASLI_USE_ALBANY"]    = stringify_bool(mpasli_use_albany)   if mpasli_use_albany   is not None else ""
+    os.environ["PROFILE_PAPI_ENABLE"]  = stringify_bool(profile_papi_enable)
+    os.environ["CLM_USE_PETSC"]        = stringify_bool(clm_use_petsc)
+    os.environ["CISM_USE_TRILINOS"]    = stringify_bool(cism_use_trilinos)
+    os.environ["MPASLI_USE_ALBANY"]    = stringify_bool(mpasli_use_albany)
 
     # This is a timestamp for the build , not the same as the testid,
     # and this case may not be a test anyway. For a production
@@ -269,9 +270,9 @@ def case_build(caseroot, case, sharedlib_only=False, model_only=False):
     # the future there may be others -- so USE_ALBANY will be true if
     # ANY of those are true.
 
-    use_albany = mpasli_use_albany
+    use_albany = stringify_bool(mpasli_use_albany)
     case.set_value("USE_ALBANY", use_albany)
-    os.environ["USE_ALBANY"] = stringify_bool(use_albany)
+    os.environ["USE_ALBANY"] = use_albany
 
     # Load modules
     env_module = case.get_env("mach_specific")