diff --git a/src/IO.f90 b/src/IO.f90
index a76959a44..4b962bd1e 100644
--- a/src/IO.f90
+++ b/src/IO.f90
@@ -684,7 +684,11 @@ function IO_stringValue(string,chunkPos,myChunk,silent)
 
  logical                                                  :: warn
 
- warn = merge(silent,.false.,present(silent))
+ if (present(silent)) then
+   warn = silent
+ else
+   warn = .false.
+ endif
 
  IO_stringValue = ''
  valuePresent: if (myChunk > chunkPos(1) .or. myChunk < 1_pInt) then
diff --git a/src/config.f90 b/src/config.f90
index 4d5a76432..7ae800f30 100644
--- a/src/config.f90
+++ b/src/config.f90
@@ -513,8 +513,12 @@ character(len=65536) function getString(this,key,defaultVal,raw)
  type(tPartitionedStringList),  pointer                      :: item
  logical                                                     :: found, &
                                                                 whole
+ if (present(raw)) then
+   whole = raw
+ else
+   whole = .false.
+ endif
 
- whole = merge(raw,.false.,present(raw))                                                            ! whole string or white space splitting
  found = present(defaultVal)
  if (found) then
    getString = trim(defaultVal)
@@ -661,7 +665,11 @@ function getStrings(this,key,defaultVal,requiredShape,raw)
                                                              cumulative
 
  cumulative = (key(1:1) == '(' .and. key(len_trim(key):len_trim(key)) == ')')
- whole = merge(raw,.false.,present(raw))
+ if (present(raw)) then
+   whole = raw
+ else
+   whole = .false.
+ endif
  found = .false.
 
  item => this