diff --git a/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf.cpp b/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf.cpp
index e1a8dfab69..a34c0e0488 100644
--- a/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf.cpp
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 
 #if defined(LMP_HAS_NETCDF)
 
-#include <unistd.h>
-
 #include <cstring>
 #include <netcdf.h>
 #include "dump_netcdf.h"
@@ -286,9 +284,12 @@ void DumpNetCDF::openfile()
   }
 
   if (filewriter) {
-    if (append_flag && !multifile && access(filecurrent, F_OK) != -1) {
+    if (append_flag && !multifile) {
       // Fixme! Perform checks if dimensions and variables conform with
       // data structure standard.
+      if (not utils::file_is_readable(filecurrent))
+        error->all(FLERR, fmt::format("cannot append to a non-existant file {}",
+                                      filecurrent));
 
       if (singlefile_opened) return;
       singlefile_opened = 1;
diff --git a/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf_mpiio.cpp b/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf_mpiio.cpp
index 2067e14c22..7b98f26283 100644
--- a/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf_mpiio.cpp
+++ b/src/USER-NETCDF/dump_netcdf_mpiio.cpp
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 
 #if defined(LMP_HAS_PNETCDF)
 
-#include <unistd.h>
-
 #include <cstring>
 #include <pnetcdf.h>
 #include "dump_netcdf_mpiio.h"
@@ -282,9 +280,12 @@ void DumpNetCDFMPIIO::openfile()
     vector_dim[i] = -1;
   }
 
-  if (append_flag && !multifile && access(filecurrent, F_OK) != -1) {
+  if (append_flag && !multifile) {
     // Fixme! Perform checks if dimensions and variables conform with
     // data structure standard.
+    if (not utils::file_is_readable(filecurrent))
+      error->all(FLERR, fmt::format("cannot append to a non-existant file {}",
+                                    filecurrent));
 
     MPI_Offset index[NC_MAX_VAR_DIMS], count[NC_MAX_VAR_DIMS];
     double d[1];