diff --git a/cesm/driver/esm_time_mod.F90 b/cesm/driver/esm_time_mod.F90
index c423b96f..4a81cc68 100644
--- a/cesm/driver/esm_time_mod.F90
+++ b/cesm/driver/esm_time_mod.F90
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ subroutine esm_time_clockinit(ensemble_driver, instance_driver, logunit, maintas
                 inquire( file=trim(restart_pfile), exist=exists)
                 if (.not. exists) then
                    rc = ESMF_FAILURE
+                   write(logunit,*) " drv_restart_pointer file does NOT exist, correct this and rerun = "//trim(restart_pfile)
                    call ESMF_LogWrite(trim(subname)//' ERROR rpointer file '//trim(restart_pfile)//' not found', &
                         ESMF_LOGMSG_ERROR, line=__LINE__, file=__FILE__)
                    return
@@ -150,6 +151,7 @@ subroutine esm_time_clockinit(ensemble_driver, instance_driver, logunit, maintas
                 open(newunit=unitn, file=restart_pfile, form='FORMATTED', status='old',iostat=ierr)
                 if (ierr < 0) then
                    rc = ESMF_FAILURE
+                   write(logunit,*) " error opening rpointer file "
                    call ESMF_LogWrite(trim(subname)//' ERROR rpointer file open returns error', &
                         ESMF_LOGMSG_ERROR, line=__LINE__, file=__FILE__)
                    return
@@ -157,6 +159,7 @@ subroutine esm_time_clockinit(ensemble_driver, instance_driver, logunit, maintas
                 read(unitn,'(a)', iostat=ierr) restart_file
                 if (ierr < 0) then
                    rc = ESMF_FAILURE
+                   write(logunit,*) " error in read of rpointer file "
                    call ESMF_LogWrite(trim(subname)//' ERROR rpointer file read returns error', &
                         ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO, line=__LINE__, file=__FILE__)
                    return
diff --git a/cime_config/buildnml b/cime_config/buildnml
index 7ffc28f8..e83fbaba 100755
--- a/cime_config/buildnml
+++ b/cime_config/buildnml
@@ -320,7 +320,7 @@ def _create_drv_namelists(case, infile, confdir, nmlgen, files):
     # Write namelist file drv_in and initial input dataset list.
     # --------------------------------
     namelist_file = os.path.join(confdir, "drv_in")
-    drv_namelist_groups = ["papi_inparm", "prof_inparm", "debug_inparm"]
+    drv_namelist_groups = ["DRIVER_attributes", "MED_attributes", "ALLCOMP_attributes", "ROF_attributes", "WAV_attributes"]
     nmlgen.write_output_file(
         namelist_file, data_list_path=data_list_path, groups=drv_namelist_groups
     )
diff --git a/cime_config/config_component.xml b/cime_config/config_component.xml
index 8d5cb5dd..094c2da2 100644
--- a/cime_config/config_component.xml
+++ b/cime_config/config_component.xml
@@ -404,13 +404,16 @@
 
   <entry id="DRV_RESTART_POINTER">
     <type>char</type>
-    <default_value>rpointer.cpl</default_value>
+    <default_value>rpointer.cpl.${RUN_STARTDATE}-${RUN_REFTOD}</default_value>
     <group>run_begin_stop_restart</group>
     <file>env_run.xml</file>
     <desc>
       Name of the restart pointer file, this can be used to restart from an
       intermediate restart by appending the restart date and time in format YYYY-MM-DD-SSSSS
     </desc>
+    <values>
+       <value>rpointer.cpl.${RUN_STARTDATE}-${RUN_REFTOD}</value>
+    </values>
   </entry>
 
   <entry id="PAUSE_OPTION">
diff --git a/cime_config/namelist_definition_drv.xml b/cime_config/namelist_definition_drv.xml
index 8835c53b..0ddb792e 100644
--- a/cime_config/namelist_definition_drv.xml
+++ b/cime_config/namelist_definition_drv.xml
@@ -18,6 +18,26 @@
     </values>
   </entry>
 
+  <entry id="rundir" modify_via_xml="RUNDIR">
+    <type>char</type>
+    <category>nuopc</category>
+    <!-- NOTE: This won't be output only used as an attribute in this file -->
+    <group>default_settings</group>
+    <values>
+      <value>$RUNDIR</value>
+    </values>
+  </entry>
+
+  <entry id="continue_run" modify_via_xml="CONTINUE_RUN">
+    <type>logical</type>
+    <category>nuopc</category>
+    <!-- NOTE: This won't be output only used as an attribute in this file -->
+    <group>default_settings</group>
+    <values>
+      <value>$CONTINUE_RUN</value>
+    </values>
+  </entry>
+
   <entry id="pio_asyncio_ntasks" modify_via_xml="PIO_ASYNCIO_NTASKS">
     <type>integer</type>
     <category>pio</category>
@@ -165,12 +185,17 @@
   <entry id="drv_restart_pointer" modify_via_xml="DRV_RESTART_POINTER">
     <type>char</type>
     <category>expdef</category>
+    <default_value>UNSET</default_value>
+    <!-- IMPORTANT NOTE: The relative path option MUST be used with a version of cime that allows it cime PR#4739 allows this -->
+    <input_pathname>rel:rundir</input_pathname>
     <group>DRIVER_attributes</group>
     <desc>
       Driver restart pointer file to initialize time info
     </desc>
     <values>
-      <value>$DRV_RESTART_POINTER</value>
+      <value>UNSET</value>
+      <value run_type="branch">$DRV_RESTART_POINTER</value>
+      <value continue_run=".true.">$DRV_RESTART_POINTER</value>
     </values>
   </entry>