diff --git a/CIME/Tools/code_checker b/CIME/Tools/code_checker
index 85de0fcfd17..6f7510337ab 100755
--- a/CIME/Tools/code_checker
+++ b/CIME/Tools/code_checker
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from CIME.code_checker import check_code, expect
 import argparse, sys, os
 
 # pylint: disable=import-error
-from distutils.spawn import find_executable
+from shutil import which
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ OR
 ###############################################################################
 def _main_func(description):
     ###############################################################################
-    pylint = find_executable("pylint")
+    pylint = which("pylint")
     expect(pylint is not None, "pylint not found")
 
     num_procs, files = parse_command_line(sys.argv, description)
diff --git a/CIME/Tools/xmlconvertors/config_pes_converter.py b/CIME/Tools/xmlconvertors/config_pes_converter.py
index d1926ab7e9b..cf57c21fb9b 100755
--- a/CIME/Tools/xmlconvertors/config_pes_converter.py
+++ b/CIME/Tools/xmlconvertors/config_pes_converter.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 from CIME import utils
 from CIME.Tools.standard_script_setup import *
 from CIME.utils import run_cmd
-from distutils.spawn import find_executable
+from shutil import which
 import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
 import grid_xml_converter
 
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ def writexml(self, addlist, newfilename):
                 root.append(ET.Element("WITH"))
             if a is not None:
                 root.append(a.to_cime5())
-        xmllint = find_executable("xmllint")
+        xmllint = which("xmllint")
         if xmllint is not None:
             run_cmd(
                 "{} --format --output {} -".format(xmllint, newfilename),
diff --git a/CIME/Tools/xmlconvertors/grid_xml_converter.py b/CIME/Tools/xmlconvertors/grid_xml_converter.py
index 009cbf03add..01de9ddcf9f 100755
--- a/CIME/Tools/xmlconvertors/grid_xml_converter.py
+++ b/CIME/Tools/xmlconvertors/grid_xml_converter.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 from CIME import utils
 from CIME.Tools.standard_script_setup import *
 from CIME.utils import run_cmd_no_fail
-from distutils.spawn import find_executable
+from shutil import which
 import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
 import operator
 
@@ -307,6 +307,7 @@ def __init__(self, xmlfilename):
         self.n = 0
         self.nodes = []
         self.populate()
+        self._xmllint = which(xmllint)
 
     def next(self):
         if self.index >= len(self.nodes):
@@ -358,10 +359,9 @@ def writexml(self, addlist, newfilename):
 
             if a is not None:
                 grids.append(a.to_cime5())
-        xmllint = find_executable("xmllint")
-        if xmllint is not None:
+        if self._xmllint is not None:
             run_cmd_no_fail(
-                "{} --format --output {} -".format(xmllint, newfilename),
+                "{} --format --output {} -".format(self._xmllint, newfilename),
                 input_str=ET.tostring(root),
             )
 
@@ -392,10 +392,10 @@ def writexml(self, addlist, newfilename):
                 domains.append(ET.Element("WITH"))
             if a is not None:
                 domains.append(a.to_cime5())
-        xmllint = find_executable("xmllint")
-        if xmllint is not None:
+
+        if self._xmllint is not None:
             run_cmd_no_fail(
-                "{} --format --output {} -".format(xmllint, newfilename),
+                "{} --format --output {} -".format(self._xmllint, newfilename),
                 input_str=ET.tostring(root),
             )
 
@@ -422,10 +422,9 @@ def writexml(self, addlist, newfilename):
                 gridmaps.append(ET.Element("WITH"))
             if a is not None:
                 gridmaps.append(a.to_cime5())
-        xmllint = find_executable("xmllint")
-        if xmllint is not None:
+        if self._xmllint is not None:
             run_cmd_no_fail(
-                "{} --format --output {} -".format(xmllint, newfilename),
+                "{} --format --output {} -".format(self._xmllint, newfilename),
                 input_str=ET.tostring(root),
             )