diff --git a/src/sampling/sampledSurface/writers/ensight/ensightSurfaceWriterTemplates.C b/src/sampling/sampledSurface/writers/ensight/ensightSurfaceWriterTemplates.C
index 4036ab8cb6..1066c4135a 100644
--- a/src/sampling/sampledSurface/writers/ensight/ensightSurfaceWriterTemplates.C
+++ b/src/sampling/sampledSurface/writers/ensight/ensightSurfaceWriterTemplates.C
@@ -63,7 +63,10 @@ Foam::fileName Foam::ensightSurfaceWriter::writeUncollated
 
     const fileName baseDir = outputDir/varName;
     const fileName timeDir = outputDir.name();
-    const scalar timeValue = readScalar(timeDir);
+    // Convert timeDir to a value (if possible - use 0.0 otherwise)
+    scalar timeValue = 0.0;
+    readScalar(timeDir, timeValue);
+
 
     if (!isDir(baseDir))
     {
@@ -178,7 +181,10 @@ Foam::fileName Foam::ensightSurfaceWriter::writeCollated
 
     const fileName baseDir = outputDir.path()/surfName;
     const fileName timeDir = outputDir.name();
-    const scalar timeValue = readScalar(timeDir);
+    // Convert timeDir to a value (if possible - use 0.0 otherwise)
+    scalar timeValue = 0.0;
+    readScalar(timeDir, timeValue);
+
     scalar meshValue = 0;
 
     if (!isDir(baseDir))