diff --git a/src/functionObjects/utilities/writeDictionary/writeDictionary.C b/src/functionObjects/utilities/writeDictionary/writeDictionary.C
index 43531231e0..de17247d08 100644
--- a/src/functionObjects/utilities/writeDictionary/writeDictionary.C
+++ b/src/functionObjects/utilities/writeDictionary/writeDictionary.C
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2016 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2016-2019 OpenCFD Ltd.
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             | Copyright (C) 2013-2017 OpenFOAM Foundation
@@ -51,10 +51,43 @@ namespace functionObjects
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * Private Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
+void Foam::functionObjects::writeDictionary::writeHeader()
+{
+    if (firstChange_)
+    {
+        Info<< type() << " " << name() << " write:" << nl << endl;
+
+        IOobject::writeDivider(Info);
+        Info<< endl;
+        firstChange_ = false;
+    }
+}
+
+
+void Foam::functionObjects::writeDictionary::checkDictionary
+(
+    const dictionary& dict,
+    const label dicti
+)
+{
+    if (dict.digest() != digests_[dicti])
+    {
+        writeHeader();
+
+        digests_[dicti] = dict.digest();
+
+        Info<< dict.dictName() << dict << nl;
+
+        IOobject::writeDivider(Info);
+        Info<< endl;
+    }
+}
+
+
 bool Foam::functionObjects::writeDictionary::tryDirectory
 (
-    const label dicti,
-    const word& location
+    const word& location,
+    const label dicti
 )
 {
     IOobject dictIO
@@ -69,17 +102,7 @@ bool Foam::functionObjects::writeDictionary::tryDirectory
 
     if (dictIO.typeHeaderOk<IOdictionary>(true))
     {
-        IOdictionary dict(dictIO);
-
-        if (dict.digest() != digests_[dicti])
-        {
-            Info<< dict.dictName() << dict << nl;
-
-            IOobject::writeDivider(Info);
-            Info<< endl;
-
-            digests_[dicti] = dict.digest();
-        }
+        checkDictionary(IOdictionary(dictIO), dicti);
 
         return true;
     }
@@ -99,19 +122,14 @@ Foam::functionObjects::writeDictionary::writeDictionary
 :
     regionFunctionObject(name, runTime, dict),
     dictNames_(),
-    digests_()
+    digests_(),
+    firstChange_(true)
 {
     read(dict);
     execute();
 }
 
 
-// * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Destructor  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
-
-Foam::functionObjects::writeDictionary::~writeDictionary()
-{}
-
-
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 bool Foam::functionObjects::writeDictionary::read(const dictionary& dict)
@@ -150,47 +168,36 @@ bool Foam::functionObjects::writeDictionary::execute()
 
 bool Foam::functionObjects::writeDictionary::write()
 {
-    Info<< type() << " " << name() << " write:" << nl << endl;
+    firstChange_ = true;
 
-    IOobject::writeDivider(Info);
-    Info<< endl;
-
-    forAll(dictNames_, i)
+    forAll(dictNames_, dicti)
     {
         const IOdictionary* dictptr =
-            obr_.lookupObjectPtr<IOdictionary>(dictNames_[i]);
+            obr_.lookupObjectPtr<IOdictionary>(dictNames_[dicti]);
 
         if (dictptr)
         {
-            const dictionary& dict = *dictptr;
-
-            if (dict.digest() != digests_[i])
-            {
-                digests_[i] = dict.digest();
-
-                Info<< dict.dictName() << dict << nl;
-
-                IOobject::writeDivider(Info);
-                Info<< endl;
-            }
+            checkDictionary(*dictptr, dicti);
         }
         else
         {
-            bool processed = tryDirectory(i, obr_.time().timeName());
+            bool processed = tryDirectory(obr_.time().timeName(), dicti);
 
             if (!processed)
             {
-                processed = tryDirectory(i, obr_.time().constant());
+                processed = tryDirectory(obr_.time().constant(), dicti);
             }
 
             if (!processed)
             {
-                processed = tryDirectory(i, obr_.time().system());
+                processed = tryDirectory(obr_.time().system(), dicti);
             }
 
             if (!processed)
             {
-                Info<< "    Unable to locate dictionary " << dictNames_[i]
+                writeHeader();
+
+                Info<< "    Unable to locate dictionary " << dictNames_[dicti]
                     << nl << endl;
 
                 IOobject::writeDivider(Info);
diff --git a/src/functionObjects/utilities/writeDictionary/writeDictionary.H b/src/functionObjects/utilities/writeDictionary/writeDictionary.H
index 66f44fd81d..c7e7d91a5c 100644
--- a/src/functionObjects/utilities/writeDictionary/writeDictionary.H
+++ b/src/functionObjects/utilities/writeDictionary/writeDictionary.H
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2016 OpenCFD Ltd.
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2016-2019 OpenCFD Ltd.
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                             | Copyright (C) 2013-2016 OpenFOAM Foundation
@@ -67,20 +67,21 @@ class writeDictionary
         //- List of changed dictionaries (only those registered to database)
         List<SHA1Digest> digests_;
 
+        //- Flag to indicate the first time that a dictionary is been changed
+        //- (per call to execute)
+        bool firstChange_;
+
 
     // Private Member Functions
 
-        //- Helper function to write the dictionary if found at location
-        bool tryDirectory
-        (
-            const label dicti,
-            const word& location
-        );
+        //- Write the output header
+        void writeHeader();
 
+        //- Helper to check and write the dictionary if its sha1 has changed
+        void checkDictionary(const dictionary& dict, const label dicti);
 
-private:
-
-    // Private member functions
+        //- Helper to write the dictionary if found at location
+        bool tryDirectory(const word& location, const label dicti);
 
         //- No copy construct
         writeDictionary(const writeDictionary&) = delete;
@@ -107,7 +108,7 @@ public:
 
 
     //- Destructor
-    virtual ~writeDictionary();
+    virtual ~writeDictionary() = default;
 
 
     // Member Functions