diff --git a/CIME/utils.py b/CIME/utils.py
index 1e280aa775f..59cbf3c7666 100644
--- a/CIME/utils.py
+++ b/CIME/utils.py
@@ -1417,13 +1417,18 @@ def safe_copy(src_path, tgt_path, preserve_meta=True):
             # I am not the owner, just copy file contents
             shutil.copyfile(src_path, tgt_path)
 
-    else:
+    elif preserve_meta:
         # We are making a new file, copy file contents, permissions, and metadata.
         # This can fail if the underlying directory is not writable by current user.
         shutil.copy2(
             src_path,
             tgt_path,
         )
+    else:
+        shutil.copy(
+            src_path,
+            tgt_path,
+        )
 
     # If src file was executable, then the tgt file should be too
     st = os.stat(tgt_path)