diff --git a/src/IO.f90 b/src/IO.f90
index 3589ebba7..e79cee0a7 100644
--- a/src/IO.f90
+++ b/src/IO.f90
@@ -26,9 +26,7 @@ module IO
     IO_init, &
     IO_read, &
     IO_readlines, &
-    IO_open_binary, &
     IO_isBlank, &
-    IO_getTag, &
     IO_stringPos, &
     IO_stringValue, &
     IO_intValue, &
@@ -139,39 +137,6 @@ function IO_read(fileName) result(fileContent)
 end function IO_read
 
 
-!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-!> @brief opens an existing file for reading or a new file for writing.
-!> @details replaces an existing file when writing
-!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-integer function IO_open_binary(fileName,mode)
-
-  character(len=*), intent(in)           :: fileName
-  character,        intent(in), optional :: mode
-
-  character :: m
-  integer   :: ierr
-
-  if (present(mode)) then
-    m = mode
-  else
-    m = 'r'
-  endif
-
-  if    (m == 'w') then
-    open(newunit=IO_open_binary, file=trim(fileName),&
-         status='replace',access='stream',action='write',iostat=ierr)
-    if (ierr /= 0) call IO_error(100,ext_msg='could not open file (w): '//trim(fileName))
-  elseif(m == 'r') then
-    open(newunit=IO_open_binary, file=trim(fileName),&
-         status='old',    access='stream',action='read', iostat=ierr)
-    if (ierr /= 0) call IO_error(100,ext_msg='could not open file (r): '//trim(fileName))
-  else
-    call IO_error(100,ext_msg='unknown access mode: '//m)
-  endif
-
-end function IO_open_binary
-
-
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 !> @brief identifies strings without content
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -187,32 +152,6 @@ logical pure function IO_isBlank(string)
 end function IO_isBlank
 
 
-!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-!> @brief get tagged content of string
-!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-pure function IO_getTag(string,openChar,closeChar)
-
-  character(len=*), intent(in)  :: string                                                           !< string to check for tag
-  character,        intent(in)  :: openChar, &                                                      !< indicates beginning of tag
-                                   closeChar                                                        !< indicates end of tag
-  character(len=:), allocatable :: IO_getTag
-
-  integer :: left,right
-
-  left  = scan(string,openChar)
-  right = merge(scan(string,closeChar), &
-                left + merge(scan(string(left+1:),openChar),0,len(string) > left), &
-                openChar /= closeChar)
-
-  foundTag: if (left == verify(string,IO_WHITESPACE) .and. right > left) then
-    IO_getTag = string(left+1:right-1)
-  else foundTag
-    IO_getTag = ''
-  endif foundTag
-
-end function IO_getTag
-
-
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 !> @brief locates all whitespace-separated chunks in given string and returns array containing
 !! number them and the left/right position to be used by IO_xxxVal
diff --git a/src/grid/spectral_utilities.f90 b/src/grid/spectral_utilities.f90
index 7253e9e4c..022d29d0a 100644
--- a/src/grid/spectral_utilities.f90
+++ b/src/grid/spectral_utilities.f90
@@ -1104,11 +1104,13 @@ end subroutine utilities_updateCoords
 subroutine utilities_saveReferenceStiffness
 
   integer :: &
-    fileUnit
+    fileUnit,ierr
 
   if (worldrank == 0) then
     write(6,'(a)') ' writing reference stiffness data required for restart to file'; flush(6)
-    fileUnit = IO_open_binary(trim(getSolverJobName())//'.C_ref','w')
+    open(newunit=fileUnit, file=getSolverJobName()//'.C_ref',&
+         status='replace',access='stream',action='write',iostat=ierr)
+    if(ierr /=0) call IO_error(100,ext_msg='could not open file '//getSolverJobName()//'.C_ref')
     write(fileUnit) C_ref
     close(fileUnit)
   endif