diff --git a/cime_config/buildlib b/cime_config/buildlib
index 569ef99914..9e87bad732 100755
--- a/cime_config/buildlib
+++ b/cime_config/buildlib
@@ -123,9 +123,9 @@ def _main_func():
 
             if lilac_mode == 'on':
                 paths.append(os.path.join(lnd_root,"lilac","src"))
-                mosart_src = os.path.join(lnd_root,"components","mosart","src") 
-                paths.append(os.path.join(mosart_src,"riverroute"))
-                paths.append(os.path.join(mosart_src,"cpl","lilac"))
+                # If we want to build with a real river model (e.g., MOSART), we'll need
+                # to use its directories in place of stub_rof
+                paths.append(os.path.join(lnd_root,"lilac","stub_rof"))
 
             with open(filepath_file, "w") as filepath:
                 filepath.write("\n".join(paths))
diff --git a/lilac/src/lilac_mod.F90 b/lilac/src/lilac_mod.F90
index 1900e1281b..b233896424 100644
--- a/lilac/src/lilac_mod.F90
+++ b/lilac/src/lilac_mod.F90
@@ -245,12 +245,14 @@ subroutine lilac_init2(mpicom, atm_global_index, atm_lons, atm_lats, &
        write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " ctsm gridded component created"
     end if
 
-    cname = " MOSART "
-    rof_gcomp = ESMF_GridCompCreate(name=cname, rc=rc)
-    if (chkerr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('error lilac mosart initialization')
-    call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//"Created "//trim(cname)//" component", ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
-    if (mytask == 0) then
-       write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " mosart gridded component created"
+    if (couple_to_river) then
+       cname = " MOSART "
+       rof_gcomp = ESMF_GridCompCreate(name=cname, rc=rc)
+       if (chkerr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('error lilac mosart initialization')
+       call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//"Created "//trim(cname)//" component", ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
+       if (mytask == 0) then
+          write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " mosart gridded component created"
+       end if
     end if
 
     cname = "Coupler from atmosphere to land"
@@ -269,20 +271,22 @@ subroutine lilac_init2(mpicom, atm_global_index, atm_lons, atm_lats, &
        write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " coupler component (land to atmosphere) created"
     end if
 
-    cname = "Coupler from river to land"
-    cpl_rof2lnd_comp = ESMF_CplCompCreate(name=cname, rc=rc)
-    if (chkerr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('error lilac cpl_r2l initialization')
-    call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//"Created "//trim(cname)//" component", ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
-    if (mytask == 0) then
-       write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " coupler component (atmosphere to land) created"
-    end if
+    if (couple_to_river) then
+       cname = "Coupler from river to land"
+       cpl_rof2lnd_comp = ESMF_CplCompCreate(name=cname, rc=rc)
+       if (chkerr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('error lilac cpl_r2l initialization')
+       call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//"Created "//trim(cname)//" component", ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
+       if (mytask == 0) then
+          write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " coupler component (river to land) created"
+       end if
 
-    cname = "Coupler from land to river"
-    cpl_lnd2rof_comp = ESMF_CplCompCreate(name=cname, rc=rc)
-    if (chkerr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('error lilac cpl_l2r initialization')
-    call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//"Created "//trim(cname)//" component", ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
-    if (mytask == 0) then
-       write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " coupler component (land to atmosphere) created"
+       cname = "Coupler from land to river"
+       cpl_lnd2rof_comp = ESMF_CplCompCreate(name=cname, rc=rc)
+       if (chkerr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('error lilac cpl_l2r initialization')
+       call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//"Created "//trim(cname)//" component", ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
+       if (mytask == 0) then
+          write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " coupler component (land to river) created"
+       end if
     end if
 
     !-------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -307,13 +311,15 @@ subroutine lilac_init2(mpicom, atm_global_index, atm_lons, atm_lats, &
        write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " CTSM setservices finished"
     end if
 
-    ! Register section -- set services -- mosart
-    call ESMF_GridCompSetServices(rof_gcomp, userRoutine=rof_register, userRc=user_rc, rc=rc)
-    if (chkerr(user_rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('rof_gcomp register failure')
-    if (chkerr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('rof_gcomp register failure')
-    call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//"MOSART SetServices finished!", ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
-    if (mytask == 0) then
-       write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " CTSM setservices finished"
+    if (couple_to_river) then
+       ! Register section -- set services -- mosart
+       call ESMF_GridCompSetServices(rof_gcomp, userRoutine=rof_register, userRc=user_rc, rc=rc)
+       if (chkerr(user_rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('rof_gcomp register failure')
+       if (chkerr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('rof_gcomp register failure')
+       call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//"MOSART SetServices finished!", ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
+       if (mytask == 0) then
+          write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " CTSM setservices finished"
+       end if
     end if
 
     ! Register section -- set services -- coupler atmosphere to land
@@ -325,13 +331,15 @@ subroutine lilac_init2(mpicom, atm_global_index, atm_lons, atm_lats, &
        write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " coupler from atmosphere to land setservices finished"
     end if
 
-    ! Register section -- set services -- river to land
-    call ESMF_CplCompSetServices(cpl_rof2lnd_comp, userRoutine=cpl_rof2lnd_register, userRc=user_rc, rc=rc)
-    if (chkerr(user_rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('cpl_rof2lnd_comp register failure')
-    if (chkerr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('cpl_rof2lnd_comp register failure')
-    call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//"Coupler from river to land  SetServices finished!", ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
-    if (mytask == 0) then
-       write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " coupler from river to land setservices finished"
+    if (couple_to_river) then
+       ! Register section -- set services -- river to land
+       call ESMF_CplCompSetServices(cpl_rof2lnd_comp, userRoutine=cpl_rof2lnd_register, userRc=user_rc, rc=rc)
+       if (chkerr(user_rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('cpl_rof2lnd_comp register failure')
+       if (chkerr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('cpl_rof2lnd_comp register failure')
+       call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//"Coupler from river to land  SetServices finished!", ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
+       if (mytask == 0) then
+          write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " coupler from river to land setservices finished"
+       end if
     end if
 
     ! Register section -- set services -- coupler land to atmosphere
@@ -343,13 +351,15 @@ subroutine lilac_init2(mpicom, atm_global_index, atm_lons, atm_lats, &
        write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " coupler from land to atmosphere setservices finished"
     end if
 
-    ! Register section -- set services -- coupler land to river
-    call ESMF_CplCompSetServices(cpl_lnd2rof_comp, userRoutine=cpl_lnd2rof_register, userRc=user_rc, rc=rc)
-    if (chkerr(user_rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('cpl_lnd2rof_comp register failure')
-    if (chkerr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('cpl_lnd2rof_comp register failure')
-    call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//"Coupler from land to river SetServices finished!", ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
-    if (mytask == 0) then
-       write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " coupler from land to river setservices finished"
+    if (couple_to_river) then
+       ! Register section -- set services -- coupler land to river
+       call ESMF_CplCompSetServices(cpl_lnd2rof_comp, userRoutine=cpl_lnd2rof_register, userRc=user_rc, rc=rc)
+       if (chkerr(user_rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('cpl_lnd2rof_comp register failure')
+       if (chkerr(rc,__LINE__,u_FILE_u)) call shr_sys_abort('cpl_lnd2rof_comp register failure')
+       call ESMF_LogWrite(subname//"Coupler from land to river SetServices finished!", ESMF_LOGMSG_INFO)
+       if (mytask == 0) then
+          write(logunit,*) trim(subname) // " coupler from land to river setservices finished"
+       end if
     end if
 
     !-------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/lilac/stub_rof/rof_comp_esmf.F90 b/lilac/stub_rof/rof_comp_esmf.F90
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d708818e0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lilac/stub_rof/rof_comp_esmf.F90
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+module rof_comp_esmf
+
+  ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  ! This is a stub version of rof_comp_esmf that can be used when we don't have a true
+  ! rof component, just to satisfy the necessary interfaces in LILAC.
+  ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+  use ESMF
+
+  implicit none
+  private
+
+  public :: rof_register
+
+!===============================================================================
+contains
+!===============================================================================
+
+  subroutine rof_register(comp, rc)
+
+    ! Stub rof_register routine - shouldn't ever be called!
+
+    ! input/output argumenents
+    type(ESMF_GridComp)  :: comp  ! ROF grid component
+    integer, intent(out) :: rc    ! return status
+
+    rc = ESMF_RC_NOT_IMPL
+  end subroutine rof_register
+
+end module rof_comp_esmf