diff --git a/applications/utilities/finiteArea/makeFaMesh/decomposeFaFields.H b/applications/utilities/finiteArea/makeFaMesh/decomposeFaFields.H
index f1a595e3b0..fd5840f30e 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/finiteArea/makeFaMesh/decomposeFaFields.H
+++ b/applications/utilities/finiteArea/makeFaMesh/decomposeFaFields.H
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     \\  /    A nd           | www.openfoam.com
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    Copyright (C) 2021-2022 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    Copyright (C) 2021-2023 OpenCFD Ltd.
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM, distributed under GPL-3.0-or-later.
@@ -57,8 +57,10 @@ do
         std::unique_ptr<faMeshSubset> subsetter;
         IOobjectList objects(0);
 
+        refPtr<fileOperation> newHandler(fileOperation::NewUncollated());
+
         const bool oldDistributed = fileHandler().distributed();
-        auto oldHandler = fileHandler(fileOperation::NewUncollated());
+        auto oldHandler = fileOperation::fileHandler(newHandler);
         fileHandler().distributed(true);
 
         if (UPstream::master())
@@ -73,11 +75,8 @@ do
             UPstream::parRun(oldParRun);
         }
 
-        // Restore old settings
-        if (oldHandler)
-        {
-            fileHandler(std::move(oldHandler));
-        }
+        // Restore settings
+        (void) fileOperation::fileHandler(oldHandler);
         fileHandler().distributed(oldDistributed);
 
         areaFieldsCache.readAllFields
diff --git a/src/parallel/reconstruct/faReconstruct/faMeshReconstructor.C b/src/parallel/reconstruct/faReconstruct/faMeshReconstructor.C
index 332480a5b3..ea49c9d551 100644
--- a/src/parallel/reconstruct/faReconstruct/faMeshReconstructor.C
+++ b/src/parallel/reconstruct/faReconstruct/faMeshReconstructor.C
@@ -721,13 +721,14 @@ void Foam::faMeshReconstructor::writeMesh(const word& timeName) const
 {
     const faMesh& fullMesh = this->mesh();
 
-    const bool oldDistributed = fileHandler().distributed();
-    auto oldHandler = fileHandler(fileOperation::NewUncollated());
-    fileHandler().distributed(true);
+    refPtr<fileOperation> writeHandler(fileOperation::NewUncollated());
 
-    if (Pstream::master())
+    auto oldHandler = fileOperation::fileHandler(writeHandler);
+    const bool oldDistributed = fileHandler().distributed(true);
+
+    if (UPstream::master())
     {
-        const bool oldParRun = Pstream::parRun(false);
+        const bool oldParRun = UPstream::parRun(false);
 
         IOobject io(fullMesh.boundary());
 
@@ -736,15 +737,12 @@ void Foam::faMeshReconstructor::writeMesh(const word& timeName) const
 
         fullMesh.boundary().write();
 
-        Pstream::parRun(oldParRun);
+        UPstream::parRun(oldParRun);
     }
 
-    // Restore old settings
-    if (oldHandler)
-    {
-        fileHandler(std::move(oldHandler));
-    }
+    // Restore settings
     fileHandler().distributed(oldDistributed);
+    (void) fileOperation::fileHandler(oldHandler);
 }