diff --git a/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/clm/FatesColdSeedDisp/shell_commands b/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/clm/FatesColdSeedDisp/shell_commands
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7cb007d591
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/clm/FatesColdSeedDisp/shell_commands
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+SRCDIR=`./xmlquery SRCROOT --value`
+CASEDIR=`./xmlquery CASEROOT --value`
+FATESROOT=$SRCDIR/src/fates
+FATESPARAMFILE=$CASEDIR/fates_params_seeddisp_4x5.nc
+
+ncgen -o $FATESPARAMFILE $FATESROOT/parameter_files/fates_params_default.cdl
+
+$FATESROOT/tools/modify_fates_paramfile.py --O --fin $FATESPARAMFILE --fout $FATESPARAMFILE --var fates_seed_dispersal_fraction --val 0.2 --allpfts
+$FATESROOT/tools/modify_fates_paramfile.py --O --fin $FATESPARAMFILE --fout $FATESPARAMFILE --var fates_seed_dispersal_max_dist --val 2500000 --allpfts
+$FATESROOT/tools/modify_fates_paramfile.py --O --fin $FATESPARAMFILE --fout $FATESPARAMFILE --var fates_seed_dispersal_pdf_scale --val 1e-05 --allpfts
+$FATESROOT/tools/modify_fates_paramfile.py --O --fin $FATESPARAMFILE --fout $FATESPARAMFILE --var fates_seed_dispersal_pdf_shape --val 0.1 --allpfts
diff --git a/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/clm/FatesColdSeedDisp/user_nl_clm b/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/clm/FatesColdSeedDisp/user_nl_clm
index 64dc4efdc6..ecd1dc8b57 100644
--- a/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/clm/FatesColdSeedDisp/user_nl_clm
+++ b/cime_config/testdefs/testmods_dirs/clm/FatesColdSeedDisp/user_nl_clm
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-fates_paramfile = '/glade/p/cesm/cseg/inputdata/lnd/clm2/paramdata/fates_params_api.25.5.0_12pft_5x5_amazon_seeddispersal_c230925.nc'
+fates_paramfile = '$CASEROOT/fates_params_seeddisp_4x5.nc'
 fates_seeddisp_cadence = 1
 hist_fincl1       = 'FATES_SEEDS_IN_GRIDCELL_PF', 'FATES_SEEDS_OUT_GRIDCELL_PF'