diff --git a/src/CLI.f90 b/src/CLI.f90
index 905b1c9f5..675f3c3bc 100644
--- a/src/CLI.f90
+++ b/src/CLI.f90
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ subroutine CLI_init()
       case ('-r', '--rs', '--restart')
         if (.not. hasArg) call IO_error(610,ext_msg='--jobname')
         arg = getArg(i+1)
-        read(arg,*,iostat=stat) CLI_restartInc
+        CLI_restartInc = IO_strAsInt(arg)
         if (CLI_restartInc < 0 .or. stat /= 0) call IO_error(611,ext_msg=arg)
     end select
   end do
diff --git a/src/HDF5_utilities.f90 b/src/HDF5_utilities.f90
index b87dbad3d..77b87c7ed 100644
--- a/src/HDF5_utilities.f90
+++ b/src/HDF5_utilities.f90
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 !> @author Philip Eisenlohr, Michigan State University
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 module HDF5_utilities
+  use IO
   use HDF5
 #ifdef PETSC
 #include <petsc/finclude/petscsys.h>
@@ -190,6 +191,7 @@ integer(HID_T) function HDF5_openFile(fileName,mode,parallel)
   character      :: m
   integer(HID_T) :: plist_id
   integer :: hdferr
+  logical :: exist
 
 
   m = misc_optional(mode,'r')
@@ -214,6 +216,8 @@ integer(HID_T) function HDF5_openFile(fileName,mode,parallel)
     call H5Fopen_f(fileName,H5F_ACC_RDWR_F,HDF5_openFile,hdferr,access_prp = plist_id)
     call HDF5_chkerr(hdferr)
   elseif (m == 'r') then
+    inquire(file=fileName,exist=exist)
+    if (.not. exist) call IO_error(100,trim(fileName))
     call H5Fopen_f(fileName,H5F_ACC_RDONLY_F,HDF5_openFile,hdferr,access_prp = plist_id)
     call HDF5_chkerr(hdferr)
   else