diff --git a/cime_config/config_archive.xml b/cime_config/config_archive.xml
index 052a7f1f2f..d5a6cfaacc 100644
--- a/cime_config/config_archive.xml
+++ b/cime_config/config_archive.xml
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@
     <rest_file_extension>r</rest_file_extension>
     <rest_file_extension>rh\da</rest_file_extension>
     <rest_file_extension>rh\di</rest_file_extension>
-    <hist_file_extension>h\d*.*\.nc$</hist_file_extension>
-    <hist_file_extension>lilac_hi.*\.nc$</hist_file_extension>
-    <hist_file_extension>lilac_atm_driver_h\d*.*\.nc$</hist_file_extension>
+    <!-- History files including those for LILAC, optionally include gzipped files which is needed for DART -->
+    <hist_file_extension>h\d*.*\.nc(\.gz)?$</hist_file_extension>
+    <hist_file_extension>lilac_hi.*\.nc(\.gz)?$</hist_file_extension>
+    <hist_file_extension>lilac_atm_driver_h\d*.*\.nc(\.gz)?$</hist_file_extension>
     <hist_file_extension>e</hist_file_extension>
     <rest_history_varname>locfnh</rest_history_varname>
     <rpointer>