diff --git a/utils/python/CIME/hist_utils.py b/utils/python/CIME/hist_utils.py
index 372e372a5aba..91c5990be6f7 100644
--- a/utils/python/CIME/hist_utils.py
+++ b/utils/python/CIME/hist_utils.py
@@ -238,8 +238,7 @@ def generate_baseline(case, baseline_dir=None):
         num_gen += len(hists)
         for hist in hists:
             ext = get_extension(model, hist)
-            basename = "%s.%s.nc" % (model, ext)
-            baseline = os.path.join(basegen_dir, basename)
+            baseline = os.path.join(basegen_dir, os.path.basename(hist))
             if os.path.exists(baseline):
                 os.remove(baseline)
 
diff --git a/utils/python/CIME/utils.py b/utils/python/CIME/utils.py
index 947db7276c4f..fbf7a675eb1f 100644
--- a/utils/python/CIME/utils.py
+++ b/utils/python/CIME/utils.py
@@ -541,8 +541,10 @@ def get_project(machobj=None):
     return None
 
 def setup_standard_logging_options(parser):
+    helpfile = "%s.log"%sys.argv[0]
+    helpfile = os.path.join(os.getcwd(),os.path.basename(helpfile))
     parser.add_argument("-d", "--debug", action="store_true",
-                        help="Print debug information (very verbose) to file %s.log" % sys.argv[0])
+                        help="Print debug information (very verbose) to file %s" % helpfile)
     parser.add_argument("-v", "--verbose", action="store_true",
                         help="Add additional context (time and file) to log messages")
     parser.add_argument("-s", "--silent", action="store_true",