diff --git a/code/IO.f90 b/code/IO.f90
index 2f8a597a5..d0d822342 100644
--- a/code/IO.f90
+++ b/code/IO.f90
@@ -1501,7 +1501,7 @@ recursive function abaqus_assembleInputFile(unit1,unit2) result(createSuccess)
        createSuccess=.false.
        return
      endif
-   else if (line(1:2) /= '**') then 
+   else
      write(unit1,'(A)') trim(line)
    endif
  enddo