diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/functionEntries/inputSyntaxEntry/inputSyntaxEntry.C b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/functionEntries/inputSyntaxEntry/inputSyntaxEntry.C
index 8cb00668ec..0518d45010 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/functionEntries/inputSyntaxEntry/inputSyntaxEntry.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/functionEntries/inputSyntaxEntry/inputSyntaxEntry.C
@@ -37,8 +37,9 @@ const Foam::word Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::typeName
 // might include inputSyntax entries
 int Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::debug(0);
 
+// Read the default dictionary syntax from etc/controlDict if specified
 Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::inputSyntax
-    Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::syntax_
+    Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::defaultSyntax_
 (
     Foam::debug::optimisationSwitches().found("inputSyntax")
   ? Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::syntax
@@ -51,6 +52,13 @@ Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::inputSyntax
   : DOT
 );
 
+// Initialise the current dictionary syntax to the default
+Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::inputSyntax
+    Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::syntax_
+(
+    Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::defaultSyntax_
+);
+
 
 namespace Foam
 {
@@ -76,7 +84,7 @@ Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::syntax
 )
 {
     word syntax(is);
-    if (syntax == "slash" || syntax == "default")
+    if (syntax == "slash")
     {
         return SLASH;
     }
@@ -88,9 +96,10 @@ Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::syntax
     {
         WarningInFunction
             << "unsupported input syntax'" << syntax
-            << "' ... defaulting to 'dot'"
+            << ", setting to default"
             << endl;
-        return DOT;
+
+        return defaultSyntax_;
     }
 }
 
@@ -110,7 +119,7 @@ bool Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::execute
 
 void Foam::functionEntries::inputSyntaxEntry::clear()
 {
-    syntax_ = DOT;
+    syntax_ = defaultSyntax_;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/functionEntries/inputSyntaxEntry/inputSyntaxEntry.H b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/functionEntries/inputSyntaxEntry/inputSyntaxEntry.H
index f263868efd..5e3da44e74 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/functionEntries/inputSyntaxEntry/inputSyntaxEntry.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/dictionary/functionEntries/inputSyntaxEntry/inputSyntaxEntry.H
@@ -34,12 +34,13 @@ Description
 
     The possible input syntax:
       - \par slash      use '/' as the scope operator
-                        and '../' to go to the parent dictionary
+                            '../' to go to the parent dictionary
+                        and '!' to go to the top-level dictionary
       - \par dot        use '.' as the scope operator
-                        and '..' to go to the parent dictionary
-      - \par default    currently identical to dot
+                            '..' to go to the parent dictionary
+                        and ':' to go to the top-level dictionary
 
-    The default dictionary syntax is \c dot but changed to \c slash in
+    The default dictionary syntax is \c dot but can be changed to \c slash in
     etc/controlDict
     \verbatim
         OptimisationSwitches
@@ -83,6 +84,9 @@ class inputSyntaxEntry
             DOT
         };
 
+        //- The default input syntax
+        static inputSyntax defaultSyntax_;
+
         //- The current input syntax
         static inputSyntax syntax_;
 
@@ -110,7 +114,8 @@ public:
         //- Execute the functionEntry in a sub-dict context
         static bool execute(dictionary& parentDict, Istream&);
 
-        //- Reset the inputSyntax to %default (ie, %merge)
+        //- Reset the inputSyntax to the default specified in etc/controlDict
+        //  if not specified to %dot
         static void clear();
 
         //- Return true if the inputSyntax is %slash