diff --git a/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf.cpp b/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf.cpp
index a88d74434b..4147b3897d 100644
--- a/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf.cpp
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ void DumpNetCDF::openfile()
       if (framei <= 0) framei = nframes+framei+1;
       if (framei < 1)  framei = 1;
     } else {
-      if (framei != 0)
+      if (framei != 0 && !multifile)
         error->all(FLERR,"at keyword requires use of 'append yes'");
 
       int dims[NC_MAX_VAR_DIMS];
diff --git a/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf_mpiio.cpp b/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf_mpiio.cpp
index 5e5be1c7aa..129f9cccbb 100644
--- a/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf_mpiio.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf_mpiio.cpp
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ void DumpNetCDFMPIIO::openfile()
     if (framei <= 0) framei = nframes+framei+1;
     if (framei < 1)  framei = 1;
   } else {
-    if (framei != 0)
+    if (framei != 0 && !multifile)
       error->all(FLERR,"at keyword requires use of 'append yes'");
 
     int dims[NC_MAX_VAR_DIMS];