diff --git a/cicecore/cicedyn/infrastructure/io/io_pio2/ice_restart.F90 b/cicecore/cicedyn/infrastructure/io/io_pio2/ice_restart.F90
index 18815ecf8..ae3aebd2b 100644
--- a/cicecore/cicedyn/infrastructure/io/io_pio2/ice_restart.F90
+++ b/cicecore/cicedyn/infrastructure/io/io_pio2/ice_restart.F90
@@ -60,22 +60,12 @@ subroutine init_restart_read(ice_ic)
 
       logical (kind=log_kind), save :: first_call = .true.
 
-#ifdef CESMCOUPLED
-      logical (kind=log_kind) :: file_exist
-#endif
-
       character(len=*), parameter :: subname = '(init_restart_read)'
 
       if (present(ice_ic)) then
          filename = trim(ice_ic)
       else
          if (my_task == master_task) then
-#ifdef CESMCOUPLED
-            write(pointer_file,'(a,i4.4,a,i2.2,a,i2.2,a,i5.5)') &
-                 'rpointer.ice'//trim(inst_suffix)//'.',myear,'-',mmonth,'-',mday,'-',msec
-            inquire(file=pointer_file, exist=exist)
-            if (.not. exist) pointer_file = 'rpointer.ice'//trim(inst_suffix)
-#endif
             open(nu_rst_pointer,file=pointer_file)
             read(nu_rst_pointer,'(a)') filename0
             filename = trim(filename0)
@@ -186,6 +176,7 @@ subroutine init_restart_write(filename_spec)
       integer (kind=int_kind) :: nbtrcr
 
       character(len=char_len_long) :: filename
+      character(len=char_len_long) :: lpointer_file
 
       integer (kind=int_kind) :: &
          dimid_ncat, dimid_nilyr, dimid_nslyr, dimid_naero
@@ -233,10 +224,12 @@ subroutine init_restart_write(filename_spec)
       ! write pointer (path/file)
       if (my_task == master_task) then
 #ifdef CESMCOUPLED
-            write(pointer_file,'(a,i4.4,a,i2.2,a,i2.2,a,i5.5)') &
+            write(lpointer_file,'(a,i4.4,a,i2.2,a,i2.2,a,i5.5)') &
                  'rpointer.ice'//trim(inst_suffix)//'.',myear,'-',mmonth,'-',mday,'-',msec
+#else
+            lpointer_file = pointer_file
 #endif
-         open(nu_rst_pointer,file=pointer_file)
+         open(nu_rst_pointer,file=lpointer_file)
          write(nu_rst_pointer,'(a)') filename
          close(nu_rst_pointer)
       endif