diff --git a/src/potential_file_reader.cpp b/src/potential_file_reader.cpp
index 13cb2d62d3..a8aa0adb43 100644
--- a/src/potential_file_reader.cpp
+++ b/src/potential_file_reader.cpp
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "potential_file_reader.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "tokenizer.h"
+#include "fmt/format.h"
 
 #include <cstring>
 
@@ -30,102 +31,111 @@ using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
 PotentialFileReader::PotentialFileReader(LAMMPS *lmp,
                                          const std::string &filename,
                                          const std::string &potential_name) : 
-  Pointers(lmp), filename(filename), potential_name(potential_name)
+  Pointers(lmp),
+  reader(nullptr),
+  filename(filename),
+  potential_name(potential_name)
 {
   if (comm->me != 0) {
     error->one(FLERR, "PotentialFileReader should only be called by proc 0!");
   }
 
-  fp = force->open_potential(filename.c_str());
-
-  if (fp == NULL) {
-    char str[128];
-    snprintf(str, 128, "cannot open %s potential file %s", potential_name.c_str(), filename.c_str());
-    error->one(FLERR, str);
+  try {
+    reader = open_potential(filename);
+  } catch (FileReaderException & e) {
+    error->one(FLERR, e.what());
   }
 }
 
 PotentialFileReader::~PotentialFileReader() {
-  fclose(fp);
+  delete reader;
 }
 
 void PotentialFileReader::skip_line() {
-  char *ptr = fgets(line, MAXLINE, fp);
-  if (ptr == nullptr) {
-    // EOF
-    char str[128];
-    snprintf(str, 128, "Missing line in %s potential file!", potential_name.c_str());
-    error->one(FLERR, str);
+  try {
+    reader->skip_line();
+  } catch (FileReaderException & e) {
+    error->one(FLERR, e.what());
   }
 }
 
 char *PotentialFileReader::next_line(int nparams) {
-  // concatenate lines until have nparams words
-  int n = 0;
-  int nwords = 0;
-
-  char *ptr = fgets(line, MAXLINE, fp);
-
-  if (ptr == nullptr) {
-    // EOF
-    return nullptr;
+  try {
+    return reader->next_line(nparams);
+  } catch (FileReaderException & e) {
+    error->one(FLERR, e.what());
   }
-
-  // strip comment
-  if ((ptr = strchr(line, '#'))) *ptr = '\0';
-
-  nwords = utils::count_words(line);
-
-  if (nwords > 0) {
-    n = strlen(line);
-  }
-
-  while(nwords == 0 || nwords < nparams) {
-    char *ptr = fgets(&line[n], MAXLINE - n, fp);
-
-    if (ptr == nullptr) {
-      // EOF
-      if (nwords > 0 && nwords < nparams) {
-        char str[128];
-        snprintf(str, 128, "Incorrect format in %s potential file! %d/%d parameters", potential_name.c_str(), nwords, nparams);
-        error->one(FLERR, str);
-      }
-
-      return nullptr;
-    }
-
-
-    // strip comment
-    if ((ptr = strchr(line, '#'))) *ptr = '\0';
-
-    nwords = utils::count_words(line);
-
-    // skip line if blank
-    if (nwords > 0) {
-      n = strlen(line);
-    }
-  }
-
-  return line;
+  return nullptr;
 }
 
 void PotentialFileReader::next_dvector(int n, double * list) {
-  int i = 0;
-  while (i < n) {
-    char *ptr = fgets(line, MAXLINE, fp);
-
-    if (ptr == nullptr) {
-      // EOF
-      if (i < n) {
-        char str[128];
-        snprintf(str, 128, "Incorrect format in %s potential file! %d/%d values", potential_name.c_str(), i, n);
-        error->one(FLERR, str);
-      }
-    }
-
-    ValueTokenizer values(line);
-    while(values.has_next()) {
-      list[i++] = values.next_double();
-    }
+  try {
+    return reader->next_dvector(n, list);
+  } catch (FileReaderException & e) {
+    error->one(FLERR, e.what());
   }
 }
+
+/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+   open a potential file as specified by name
+   if fails, search in dir specified by env variable LAMMPS_POTENTIALS
+------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+TextFileReader * PotentialFileReader::open_potential(const std::string& path) {
+  // attempt to open file directly
+  // if successful, return filename
+  std::string filepath = path;
+  std::string filename = utils::path_basename(path);
+  std::string date;
+
+  if(utils::file_is_readable(filepath)) {
+    date = get_potential_date(filepath);
+  } else {
+    // try the environment variable directory
+    const char *path = getenv("LAMMPS_POTENTIALS");
+
+    if (path != nullptr){
+      std::string pot = utils::path_basename(filepath);
+      filepath = utils::path_join(path, pot);
+
+      if (utils::file_is_readable(filepath)) {
+        date = get_potential_date(filepath);
+      } else {
+        return nullptr;
+      }
+    } else {
+      return nullptr;
+    }
+  }
+
+  if(!date.empty()) {
+    utils::logmesg(lmp, fmt::format("Reading potential file {} with DATE: {}", filename, date));
+  }
+
+  return new TextFileReader(filepath, potential_name + " potential");
+}
+
+/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+   read first line of potential file
+   if has DATE field, print following word
+------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+std::string PotentialFileReader::get_potential_date(const std::string & path) {
+  TextFileReader reader(path, potential_name + " potential");
+  reader.ignore_comments = false;
+  char * line = nullptr;
+
+  while (line = reader.next_line()) {
+    ValueTokenizer values(line);
+    while (values.has_next()) {
+      std::string word = values.next_string();
+      if (word == "DATE:") {
+        if (values.has_next()) {
+          std::string date = values.next_string();
+          return date;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  return "";
+}
diff --git a/src/potential_file_reader.h b/src/potential_file_reader.h
index b18d3841c3..0d3d52acfe 100644
--- a/src/potential_file_reader.h
+++ b/src/potential_file_reader.h
@@ -21,15 +21,17 @@
 #include <string>
 
 #include "pointers.h"
+#include "text_file_reader.h"
 
 namespace LAMMPS_NS
 {
   class PotentialFileReader : protected Pointers {
-    std::string potential_name;
+    TextFileReader * reader;
     std::string filename;
-    static const int MAXLINE = 1024;
-    char line[MAXLINE];
-    FILE *fp;
+    std::string potential_name;
+
+    TextFileReader * open_potential(const std::string& path);
+    std::string get_potential_date(const std::string & path);
 
   public:
     PotentialFileReader(class LAMMPS *lmp, const std::string &filename, const std::string &potential_name);
diff --git a/src/text_file_reader.cpp b/src/text_file_reader.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b0cf7d2f4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/text_file_reader.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+/* -*- c++ -*- ----------------------------------------------------------
+   LAMMPS - Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator
+   http://lammps.sandia.gov, Sandia National Laboratories
+   Steve Plimpton, sjplimp@sandia.gov
+
+   Copyright (2003) Sandia Corporation.  Under the terms of Contract
+   DE-AC04-94AL85000 with Sandia Corporation, the U.S. Government retains
+   certain rights in this software.  This software is distributed under
+   the GNU General Public License.
+
+   See the README file in the top-level LAMMPS directory.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+   Contributing authors: Richard Berger (Temple U)
+------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+#include "lammps.h"
+#include "force.h"
+#include "error.h"
+#include "comm.h"
+#include "utils.h"
+#include "text_file_reader.h"
+#include "tokenizer.h"
+#include "fmt/format.h"
+
+#include <cstring>
+
+using namespace LAMMPS_NS;
+
+TextFileReader::TextFileReader(const std::string &filename, const std::string &filetype) 
+  : filename(filename), filetype(filetype)
+{
+  fp = fopen(filename.c_str(), "r");
+
+  if (fp == nullptr) {
+    throw FileReaderException(fmt::format("cannot open {} file {}", filetype, filename));
+  }
+}
+
+TextFileReader::~TextFileReader() {
+  fclose(fp);
+}
+
+void TextFileReader::skip_line() {
+  char *ptr = fgets(line, MAXLINE, fp);
+  if (ptr == nullptr) {
+    // EOF
+    throw EOFException(fmt::format("Missing line in {} file!", filetype));
+  }
+}
+
+char *TextFileReader::next_line(int nparams) {
+  // concatenate lines until have nparams words
+  int n = 0;
+  int nwords = 0;
+
+  char *ptr = fgets(line, MAXLINE, fp);
+
+  if (ptr == nullptr) {
+    // EOF
+    return nullptr;
+  }
+
+  // strip comment
+  if (ignore_comments && (ptr = strchr(line, '#'))) *ptr = '\0';
+
+  nwords = utils::count_words(line);
+
+  if (nwords > 0) {
+    n = strlen(line);
+  }
+
+  while(nwords == 0 || nwords < nparams) {
+    char *ptr = fgets(&line[n], MAXLINE - n, fp);
+
+    if (ptr == nullptr) {
+      // EOF
+      if (nwords > 0 && nwords < nparams) {
+        throw EOFException(fmt::format("Incorrect format in {} file! {}/{} parameters", filetype.c_str(), nwords, nparams));
+      }
+      return nullptr;
+    }
+
+
+    // strip comment
+    if (ignore_comments && (ptr = strchr(line, '#'))) *ptr = '\0';
+
+    nwords = utils::count_words(line);
+
+    // skip line if blank
+    if (nwords > 0) {
+      n = strlen(line);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return line;
+}
+
+void TextFileReader::next_dvector(int n, double * list) {
+  int i = 0;
+  while (i < n) {
+    char *ptr = fgets(line, MAXLINE, fp);
+
+    if (ptr == nullptr) {
+      // EOF
+      if (i < n) {
+        throw FileReaderException(fmt::format("Incorrect format in {} file! {}/{} values", filetype, i, n));
+      }
+    }
+
+    ValueTokenizer values(line);
+    while(values.has_next()) {
+      list[i++] = values.next_double();
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/text_file_reader.h b/src/text_file_reader.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4e31e95a67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/text_file_reader.h
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+/* -*- c++ -*- ----------------------------------------------------------
+   LAMMPS - Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator
+   http://lammps.sandia.gov, Sandia National Laboratories
+   Steve Plimpton, sjplimp@sandia.gov
+
+   Copyright (2003) Sandia Corporation.  Under the terms of Contract
+   DE-AC04-94AL85000 with Sandia Corporation, the U.S. Government retains
+   certain rights in this software.  This software is distributed under
+   the GNU General Public License.
+
+   See the README file in the top-level LAMMPS directory.
+------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+/* ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+   Contributing authors: Richard Berger (Temple U)
+------------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+#ifndef LMP_TEXT_FILE_READER_H
+#define LMP_TEXT_FILE_READER_H
+
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <string>
+#include <exception>
+
+namespace LAMMPS_NS
+{
+  class TextFileReader {
+    std::string filename;
+    std::string filetype;
+    static const int MAXLINE = 1024;
+    char line[MAXLINE];
+    FILE *fp;
+
+  public:
+    bool ignore_comments;
+    
+    TextFileReader(const std::string &filename, const std::string &filetype);
+    ~TextFileReader();
+
+    void skip_line();
+    char * next_line(int nparams = 0);
+
+    void next_dvector(int n, double * list);
+  };
+
+  class FileReaderException : public std::exception {
+    std::string message;
+  public:
+    FileReaderException(const std::string & msg) : message(msg) {
+    }
+  
+    ~FileReaderException() throw() {
+    }
+  
+    virtual const char * what() const throw() {
+      return message.c_str();
+    }
+  };
+
+  class EOFException : public FileReaderException {
+  public:
+    EOFException(const std::string & msg) : FileReaderException(msg) {
+    }
+  };
+
+} // namespace LAMMPS_NS
+
+#endif