diff --git a/CIME/BuildTools/configure.py b/CIME/BuildTools/configure.py
index 4cd9059e5db..7cb884a625f 100755
--- a/CIME/BuildTools/configure.py
+++ b/CIME/BuildTools/configure.py
@@ -145,13 +145,13 @@ def __init__(self, compiler, mpilib, debug, comp_interface, threading=False):
             "DEBUG": debug,
             "COMP_INTERFACE": comp_interface,
             "PIO_VERSION": 2,
-            "SMP_PRESENT": threading,
+            "BUILD_THREADED": threading,
             "MODEL": get_model(),
             "SRCROOT": get_src_root(),
         }
 
     def get_build_threaded(self):
-        return self.get_value("SMP_PRESENT")
+        return self.get_value("BUILD_THREADED")
 
     def get_case_root(self):
         """Returns the root directory for this case."""
diff --git a/CIME/Tools/Makefile b/CIME/Tools/Makefile
index b11e0135589..e3ddb9c2042 100644
--- a/CIME/Tools/Makefile
+++ b/CIME/Tools/Makefile
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ ifeq ($(strip $(SMP)),TRUE)
    THREADDIR = threads
    compile_threaded = TRUE
 else
-   ifeq ($(strip $(SMP_PRESENT)),TRUE)
+   ifeq ($(strip $(BUILD_THREADED)),TRUE)
       THREADDIR = threads
       compile_threaded = TRUE
    else
diff --git a/CIME/build.py b/CIME/build.py
index b8d481b80d8..3f5c57ca998 100644
--- a/CIME/build.py
+++ b/CIME/build.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
     "OS",
     "PIO_VERSION",
     "SHAREDLIBROOT",
-    "SMP_PRESENT",
+    "BUILD_THREADED",
     "USE_ESMF_LIB",
     "USE_MOAB",
     "CAM_CONFIG_OPTS",
diff --git a/CIME/case/case_setup.py b/CIME/case/case_setup.py
index e05bf29ccbe..0ff856f5673 100644
--- a/CIME/case/case_setup.py
+++ b/CIME/case/case_setup.py
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ def _case_setup_impl(
 
             case.initialize_derived_attributes()
 
-            case.set_value("SMP_PRESENT", case.get_build_threaded())
+            case.set_value("BUILD_THREADED", case.get_build_threaded())
 
         else:
             case.check_pelayouts_require_rebuild(models)
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ def _case_setup_impl(
             cost_per_node = case.get_value("COSTPES_PER_NODE")
             case.set_value("COST_PES", case.num_nodes * cost_per_node)
             threaded = case.get_build_threaded()
-            case.set_value("SMP_PRESENT", threaded)
+            case.set_value("BUILD_THREADED", threaded)
             if threaded and case.total_tasks * case.thread_count > cost_per_node:
                 smt_factor = max(
                     1.0, int(case.get_value("MAX_TASKS_PER_NODE") / cost_per_node)
diff --git a/CIME/data/config/xml_schemas/env_mach_specific.xsd b/CIME/data/config/xml_schemas/env_mach_specific.xsd
index 7778635592b..3c7a3a0d679 100644
--- a/CIME/data/config/xml_schemas/env_mach_specific.xsd
+++ b/CIME/data/config/xml_schemas/env_mach_specific.xsd
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 <xs:attribute name="comp_interface" type="xs:string"/>
 <xs:attribute name="gpu_type" type="xs:string"/>
 <xs:attribute name="gpu_offload" type="xs:string"/>
-<xs:attribute name="SMP_PRESENT" type="xs:string"/>
+<xs:attribute name="BUILD_THREADED" type="xs:string"/>
 <xs:attribute name="value" type="xs:string"/>
 <xs:attribute name="unit_testing" type="xs:boolean"/>
 <xs:attribute name="queue" type="xs:string"/>
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@
       <xs:attribute ref="mpilib"/>
       <xs:attribute ref="compiler"/>
       <xs:attribute ref="unit_testing"/>
-      <xs:attribute ref="SMP_PRESENT"/>
+      <xs:attribute ref="BUILD_THREADED"/>
     </xs:complexType>
   </xs:element>
   <xs:element name="resource">
diff --git a/CIME/tests/test_sys_cime_case.py b/CIME/tests/test_sys_cime_case.py
index 6ca9a92168e..dabea7d9600 100644
--- a/CIME/tests/test_sys_cime_case.py
+++ b/CIME/tests/test_sys_cime_case.py
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ def test_cime_case_build_threaded_1(self):
         )
 
         with Case(casedir, read_only=False) as case:
-            build_threaded = case.get_value("SMP_PRESENT")
+            build_threaded = case.get_value("BUILD_THREADED")
             self.assertFalse(build_threaded)
 
             build_threaded = case.get_build_threaded()
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ def test_cime_case_build_threaded_2(self):
         )
 
         with Case(casedir, read_only=False) as case:
-            build_threaded = case.get_value("SMP_PRESENT")
+            build_threaded = case.get_value("BUILD_THREADED")
             self.assertTrue(build_threaded)
 
             build_threaded = case.get_build_threaded()
diff --git a/CIME/tests/test_unit_xml_machines.py b/CIME/tests/test_unit_xml_machines.py
index 831359380fe..d051a5d7d3e 100644
--- a/CIME/tests/test_unit_xml_machines.py
+++ b/CIME/tests/test_unit_xml_machines.py
@@ -78,10 +78,10 @@
       <env name="NETCDF_FORTRAN_PATH">/opt/ubuntu/pe/netcdf-hdf5parallel/4.8.1.3/gnu/9.1/</env>
       <env name="PNETCDF_PATH">$SHELL{dirname $(dirname $(which pnetcdf_version))}</env>
     </environment_variables>
-    <environment_variables SMP_PRESENT="TRUE">
+    <environment_variables BUILD_THREADED="TRUE">
       <env name="OMP_STACKSIZE">128M</env>
     </environment_variables>
-    <environment_variables SMP_PRESENT="TRUE" compiler="gnu">
+    <environment_variables BUILD_THREADED="TRUE" compiler="gnu">
       <env name="OMP_PLACES">cores</env>
     </environment_variables>
   </machine>
@@ -126,10 +126,10 @@
       <env name="NETCDF_FORTRAN_PATH">/opt/ubuntu/pe/netcdf-hdf5parallel/4.8.1.3/gnu/9.1/</env>
       <env name="PNETCDF_PATH">$SHELL{dirname $(dirname $(which pnetcdf_version))}</env>
     </environment_variables>
-    <environment_variables SMP_PRESENT="TRUE">
+    <environment_variables BUILD_THREADED="TRUE">
       <env name="OMP_STACKSIZE">128M</env>
     </environment_variables>
-    <environment_variables SMP_PRESENT="TRUE" compiler="gnu">
+    <environment_variables BUILD_THREADED="TRUE" compiler="gnu">
       <env name="OMP_PLACES">cores</env>
     </environment_variables>
   </machine>