diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_adp.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_adp.cpp
index 4939965528..c9b290a0a6 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_adp.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_adp.cpp
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ void PairADP::read_file(char *filename)
   char line[MAXLINE];
 
   if (me == 0) {
-    fp = fopen(filename,"r");
+    fp = open_potential(filename);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open ADP potential file %s",filename);
diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_airebo.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_airebo.cpp
index 8665b736a9..fa01ac15ac 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_airebo.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_airebo.cpp
@@ -3333,7 +3333,7 @@ void PairAIREBO::read_file(char *filename)
   // read file on proc 0
 
   if (me == 0) {
-    FILE *fp = fopen(filename,"r");
+    FILE *fp = open_potential(filename);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open AIREBO potential file %s",filename);
diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_bop.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_bop.cpp
index 388c72d8ed..b13f24c10d 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_bop.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_bop.cpp
@@ -8212,7 +8212,7 @@ void PairBOP::read_file(char *filename)
   rcore=0.1;
 
   if (me == 0) {
-    FILE *fp = fopen(filename,"r");
+    FILE *fp = open_potential(filename);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open BOP potential file %s",filename);
@@ -8272,7 +8272,7 @@ void PairBOP::read_file(char *filename)
   if (me == 0) {
     words = new char*[bop_types];
     for(i=0;i<bop_types;i++) words[i]=NULL;
-    FILE *fp = fopen(filename,"r");
+    FILE *fp = open_potential(filename);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open BOP potential file %s",filename);
@@ -8436,7 +8436,7 @@ void PairBOP::read_table(char *filename)
   MPI_Comm_rank(world,&me);
 
   if (me == 0) {
-    FILE *fp = fopen(filename,"r");
+    FILE *fp = open_potential(filename);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open BOP potential file %s",filename);
@@ -8485,7 +8485,7 @@ void PairBOP::read_table(char *filename)
   allocate();
 
   if (me == 0) {
-    FILE *fp = fopen(filename,"r");
+    FILE *fp = open_potential(filename);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open BOP potential file %s",filename);
diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_comb.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_comb.cpp
index 2a071b91ad..d5982caf0e 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_comb.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_comb.cpp
@@ -572,7 +572,7 @@ void PairComb::read_file(char *file)
 
   FILE *fp;
   if (comm->me == 0) {
-    fp = fopen(file,"r");
+    fp = open_potential(file);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open COMB potential file %s",file);
diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam.cpp
index 7d79b3093b..35aaac922d 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam.cpp
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ void PairEAM::read_file(char *filename)
   char line[MAXLINE];
 
   if (me == 0) {
-    fptr = fopen(filename,"r");
+    fptr = open_potential(filename);
     if (fptr == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open EAM potential file %s",filename);
diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam_alloy.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam_alloy.cpp
index 6e46f6edb9..c8abf116a0 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam_alloy.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam_alloy.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ void PairEAMAlloy::read_file(char *filename)
   char line[MAXLINE];
 
   if (me == 0) {
-    fptr = fopen(filename,"r");
+    fptr = open_potential(filename);
     if (fptr == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open EAM potential file %s",filename);
diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam_fs.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam_fs.cpp
index 80f4239928..0d6fc2110f 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam_fs.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_eam_fs.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ void PairEAMFS::read_file(char *filename)
   char line[MAXLINE];
 
   if (me == 0) {
-    fptr = fopen(filename,"r");
+    fptr = open_potential(filename);
     if (fptr == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open EAM potential file %s",filename);
diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_eim.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_eim.cpp
index f4f3fcc653..f271bb0030 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_eim.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_eim.cpp
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ void PairEIM::read_file(char *filename)
   FILE *fptr;
 
   if (me == 0) {
-    fptr = fopen(filename,"r");
+    fptr = open_potential(filename);
     if (fptr == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open EIM potential file %s",filename);
diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_lcbop.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_lcbop.cpp
index 06f04b1f2f..5e7c6974c2 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_lcbop.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_lcbop.cpp
@@ -984,7 +984,7 @@ void PairLCBOP::read_file(char *filename)
   // read file on proc 0
 
   if (me == 0) {
-    FILE *fp = fopen(filename,"r");
+    FILE *fp = open_potential(filename);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open LCBOP potential file %s",filename);
diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_sw.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_sw.cpp
index 5efc5b7c64..d3cc168389 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_sw.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_sw.cpp
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ void PairSW::read_file(char *file)
 
   FILE *fp;
   if (comm->me == 0) {
-    fp = fopen(file,"r");
+    fp = open_potential(file);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open Stillinger-Weber potential file %s",file);
diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_tersoff.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_tersoff.cpp
index 9e90a8902b..fbbe857f09 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_tersoff.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_tersoff.cpp
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ void PairTersoff::read_file(char *file)
 
   FILE *fp;
   if (comm->me == 0) {
-    fp = fopen(file,"r");
+    fp = open_potential(file);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open Tersoff potential file %s",file);
diff --git a/src/MANYBODY/pair_tersoff_zbl.cpp b/src/MANYBODY/pair_tersoff_zbl.cpp
index 4972ad3fbd..a1624cd659 100644
--- a/src/MANYBODY/pair_tersoff_zbl.cpp
+++ b/src/MANYBODY/pair_tersoff_zbl.cpp
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ void PairTersoffZBL::read_file(char *file)
 
   FILE *fp;
   if (comm->me == 0) {
-    fp = fopen(file,"r");
+    fp = open_potential(file);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open Tersoff potential file %s",file);
diff --git a/src/USER-MISC/pair_cdeam.cpp b/src/USER-MISC/pair_cdeam.cpp
index 9d3a3cb084..5edab54d89 100644
--- a/src/USER-MISC/pair_cdeam.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-MISC/pair_cdeam.cpp
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ void PairCDEAM::read_h_coeff(char *filename)
                 FILE *fp;
                 char line[MAXLINE];
                 char nextline[MAXLINE];
-                fp = fopen(filename,"r");
+                fp = open_potential(filename);
                 if (fp == NULL) {
                         char str[128];
                         sprintf(str,"Cannot open EAM potential file %s", filename);
diff --git a/src/USER-MISC/pair_edip.cpp b/src/USER-MISC/pair_edip.cpp
index bc0d75adfd..a9938f409a 100644
--- a/src/USER-MISC/pair_edip.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-MISC/pair_edip.cpp
@@ -879,7 +879,7 @@ void PairEDIP::read_file(char *file)
 
   FILE *fp;
   if (comm->me == 0) {
-    fp = fopen(file,"r");
+    fp = open_potential(file);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open EDIP potential file %s",file);
diff --git a/src/USER-MISC/pair_meam_spline.cpp b/src/USER-MISC/pair_meam_spline.cpp
index 1684bed227..c0260ab6f2 100644
--- a/src/USER-MISC/pair_meam_spline.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-MISC/pair_meam_spline.cpp
@@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ void PairMEAMSpline::coeff(int narg, char **arg)
 void PairMEAMSpline::read_file(const char* filename)
 {
         if(comm->me == 0) {
-                FILE *fp = fopen(filename, "r");
+                FILE *fp = open_potential(filename);
                 if(fp == NULL) {
                         char str[1024];
                         sprintf(str,"Cannot open spline MEAM potential file %s", filename);
diff --git a/src/USER-MISC/pair_meam_sw_spline.cpp b/src/USER-MISC/pair_meam_sw_spline.cpp
index d0385ab010..fe13170e2d 100644
--- a/src/USER-MISC/pair_meam_sw_spline.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-MISC/pair_meam_sw_spline.cpp
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ void PairMEAMSWSpline::coeff(int narg, char **arg)
 void PairMEAMSWSpline::read_file(const char* filename)
 {
         if(comm->me == 0) {
-                FILE *fp = fopen(filename, "r");
+                FILE *fp = open_potential(filename);
                 if(fp == NULL) {
                         char str[1024];
                         sprintf(str,"Cannot open spline MEAM potential file %s", filename);
diff --git a/src/USER-MISC/pair_tersoff_table.cpp b/src/USER-MISC/pair_tersoff_table.cpp
index f9940d8d86..a0dd0fcb04 100644
--- a/src/USER-MISC/pair_tersoff_table.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-MISC/pair_tersoff_table.cpp
@@ -857,7 +857,7 @@ void PairTersoffTable::read_file(char *file)
 
   FILE *fp;
   if (comm->me == 0) {
-    fp = fopen(file,"r");
+    fp = open_potential(file);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open Tersoff potential file %s",file);
diff --git a/src/USER-OMP/pair_eam_alloy_omp.cpp b/src/USER-OMP/pair_eam_alloy_omp.cpp
index 3dff868b6a..d2aa9b855f 100644
--- a/src/USER-OMP/pair_eam_alloy_omp.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-OMP/pair_eam_alloy_omp.cpp
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ void PairEAMAlloyOMP::read_file(char *filename)
   char line[MAXLINE];
 
   if (me == 0) {
-    fptr = fopen(filename,"r");
+    fptr = open_potential(filename);
     if (fptr == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open EAM potential file %s",filename);
diff --git a/src/USER-OMP/pair_eam_fs_omp.cpp b/src/USER-OMP/pair_eam_fs_omp.cpp
index 84101913c5..63b990d650 100644
--- a/src/USER-OMP/pair_eam_fs_omp.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-OMP/pair_eam_fs_omp.cpp
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ void PairEAMFSOMP::read_file(char *filename)
   char line[MAXLINE];
 
   if (me == 0) {
-    fptr = fopen(filename,"r");
+    fptr = open_potential(filename);
     if (fptr == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open EAM potential file %s",filename);
diff --git a/src/USER-OMP/pair_tersoff_zbl_omp.cpp b/src/USER-OMP/pair_tersoff_zbl_omp.cpp
index 9c0f397118..35922c49aa 100644
--- a/src/USER-OMP/pair_tersoff_zbl_omp.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-OMP/pair_tersoff_zbl_omp.cpp
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ void PairTersoffZBLOMP::read_file(char *file)
 
   FILE *fp;
   if (comm->me == 0) {
-    fp = fopen(file,"r");
+    fp = open_potential(file);
     if (fp == NULL) {
       char str[128];
       sprintf(str,"Cannot open Tersoff potential file %s",file);