diff --git a/internal_tests/pytests/config_metplus/test_config_metplus.py b/internal_tests/pytests/config_metplus/test_config_metplus.py
index 1c55fbc973..f0e669443b 100644
--- a/internal_tests/pytests/config_metplus/test_config_metplus.py
+++ b/internal_tests/pytests/config_metplus/test_config_metplus.py
@@ -991,4 +991,38 @@ def test_get_process_list_instances(metplus_config, input_list, expected_list):
     conf = metplus_config()
     conf.set('config', 'PROCESS_LIST', input_list)
     output_list = config_metplus.get_process_list(conf)
-    assert(output_list == expected_list)
\ No newline at end of file
+    assert(output_list == expected_list)
+
+def test_getraw_sub_and_nosub(metplus_config):
+    raw_string = '{MODEL}_{CURRENT_FCST_NAME}'
+    sub_actual = 'FCST_NAME'
+
+    config = metplus_config()
+    config.set('config', 'MODEL', 'FCST')
+    config.set('config', 'CURRENT_FCST_NAME', 'NAME')
+    config.set('config', 'OUTPUT_PREFIX', raw_string)
+    nosub_value = config.getraw('config', 'OUTPUT_PREFIX', sub_vars=False)
+    assert nosub_value == raw_string
+
+    sub_value = config.getraw('config', 'OUTPUT_PREFIX', sub_vars=True)
+    assert sub_value == sub_actual
+
+def test_getraw_instance_with_unset_var(metplus_config):
+    """! Replicates bug where CURRENT_FCST_NAME is substituted with
+     an empty string when copied from an instance section
+     """
+    pytest.skip()
+    instance = 'my_section'
+    config = metplus_config()
+    config.set('config', 'MODEL', 'FCST')
+
+    config.add_section(instance)
+    config.set('config', 'CURRENT_FCST_NAME', '')
+    config.set(instance, 'OUTPUT_PREFIX', '{MODEL}_{CURRENT_FCST_NAME}')
+    new_config = (
+        config_metplus.replace_config_from_section(config,
+                                                   instance,
+                                                   required=False)
+    )
+    new_config.set('config', 'CURRENT_FCST_NAME', 'NAME')
+    assert new_config.getraw('config', 'OUTPUT_PREFIX') == 'FCST_NAME'
diff --git a/metplus/util/config_metplus.py b/metplus/util/config_metplus.py
index 353eed0d31..3ce629bdc2 100644
--- a/metplus/util/config_metplus.py
+++ b/metplus/util/config_metplus.py
@@ -458,14 +458,14 @@ def replace_config_from_section(config, section, required=True):
         for key in all_configs:
             new_config.set(section_to_copy,
                            key,
-                           config.getraw(section_to_copy, key))
+                           config.getraw(section_to_copy, key, sub_vars=False))
 
     # override values in [config] with values from {section}
     all_configs = config.keys(section)
     for key in all_configs:
         new_config.set('config',
                        key,
-                       config.getraw(section, key))
+                       config.getraw(section, key, sub_vars=False))
 
     return new_config
 
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ def remove_current_vars(self):
                 self._conf.remove_option('config', current_var)
 
     # override get methods to perform additional error checking
-    def getraw(self, sec, opt, default='', count=0):
+    def getraw(self, sec, opt, default='', count=0, sub_vars=True):
         """ parse parameter and replace any existing parameters
             referenced with the value (looking in same section, then
             config, dir, and os environment)
@@ -614,6 +614,10 @@ def getraw(self, sec, opt, default='', count=0):
             self.check_default(sec, opt, default)
             return default
 
+        # if not substituting values of other variables return value
+        if not sub_vars:
+            return in_template
+
         # get inner-most tags that could potentially be other variables
         match_list = re.findall(r'\{([^}{]*)\}', in_template)
         for var_name in match_list:
@@ -1320,14 +1324,6 @@ def check_for_deprecated_met_config(config):
     sed_cmds = []
     all_good = True
 
-    # set CURRENT_* METplus variables in case they are referenced in a
-    # METplus config variable and not already set
-    for fcst_or_obs in ['FCST', 'OBS']:
-        for name_or_level in ['NAME', 'LEVEL']:
-            current_var = f'CURRENT_{fcst_or_obs}_{name_or_level}'
-            if not config.has_option('config', current_var):
-                config.set('config', current_var, '')
-
     # check if *_CONFIG_FILE if set in the METplus config file and check for
     # deprecated environment variables in those files
     met_config_keys = [key for key in config.keys('config')