diff --git a/model/src/w3initmd.F90 b/model/src/w3initmd.F90
index afe4046f9..4271d9608 100644
--- a/model/src/w3initmd.F90
+++ b/model/src/w3initmd.F90
@@ -984,9 +984,22 @@ SUBROUTINE W3INIT ( IMOD, IsMulti, FEXT, MDS, MTRACE, ODAT, FLGRD,  FLGR2, FLGD,
           call extcde (60, msg="required restart file " // trim(fname) // " does not exist")
         end if
       else
-        call read_restart('none')
-        ! mapst2 is module variable defined in read of mod_def; maptst is from 2.b above
-        flcold = .true.
+        if (restart_from_binary) then
+          call set_user_timestring(time,user_timestring)
+          fname = trim(user_restfname)//trim(user_timestring)
+          inquire(file=trim(fname), exist=exists)
+          if (exists) then
+            call w3iors('READ', nds(6), sig(nk), imod, filename=trim(fname))
+          else
+            call read_restart('none')
+            ! mapst2 is module variable defined in read of mod_def; maptst is from 2.b above
+            flcold = .true.
+           end if
+        else
+          call read_restart('none')
+          ! mapst2 is module variable defined in read of mod_def; maptst is from 2.b above
+          flcold = .true.
+        end if
       end if
     else
 #endif