diff --git a/testing_and_setup/compass/setup_testcase.py b/testing_and_setup/compass/setup_testcase.py
index a4553301e6..ed3538d707 100755
--- a/testing_and_setup/compass/setup_testcase.py
+++ b/testing_and_setup/compass/setup_testcase.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 import textwrap
 import netCDF4
 import shutil
+import errno
 
 try:
     from collections import defaultdict
@@ -517,6 +518,8 @@ def generate_driver_scripts(config_file, configs):  # {{{
         if not os.path.exists(init_path):
             os.makedirs(init_path)
 
+        link_load_compass_env(init_path, configs)
+
         # Create script file
         script = open('{}/{}'.format(init_path, name), 'w')
 
@@ -1549,6 +1552,24 @@ def get_case_name(config_file):  # {{{
 
     return name
 # }}}
+
+def link_load_compass_env(init_path, configs):  # {{{
+
+    if configs.getboolean('conda', 'link_load_compass'):
+        target = '{}/{}/load_compass_env.sh'.format(
+            configs.get('script_paths', 'script_path'),
+            configs.get('script_paths', 'core_dir'))
+
+        link_name = '{}/load_compass_env.sh'.format(init_path)
+        try:
+            os.symlink(target, link_name)
+        except OSError as e:
+            if e.errno == errno.EEXIST:
+                os.remove(link_name)
+                os.symlink(target, link_name)
+            else:
+                raise e
+# }}}
 # }}}
 
 
@@ -1590,6 +1611,10 @@ def get_case_name(config_file):  # {{{
                         help="If set, script will create case directories in "
                              "work_dir rather than the current directory.",
                         metavar="PATH")
+    parser.add_argument("--link_load_compass", dest="link_load_compass",
+                        action="store_true",
+                        help="If set, a link to <core>/load_compass_env.sh is "
+                             "included with each test case")
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
@@ -1678,6 +1703,15 @@ def get_case_name(config_file):  # {{{
         config.set('script_input_arguments', 'model_runtime',
                    args.model_runtime)
 
+    if not config.has_section('conda'):
+        config.add_section('conda')
+
+    if not config.has_option('conda', 'link_load_compass'):
+        config.set('conda', 'link_load_compass', 'False')
+
+    if args.link_load_compass:
+        config.set('conda', 'link_load_compass', 'True')
+
     # Build variables for history output
     old_dir = os.getcwd()
     os.chdir(config.get('script_paths', 'script_path'))