diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.C b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.C
index 861006bbbf..142da30fa6 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/functionObjectList/functionObjectList.C
@@ -755,11 +755,7 @@ bool Foam::functionObjectList::read()
                         fo2,
                         "functionObject::" + key + "::new"
                     );
-                    if
-                    (
-                        dict.found("writeControl")
-                     || dict.found("outputControl")
-                    )
+                    if (functionObjects::timeControl::entriesPresent(dict))
                     {
                         foPtr.set
                         (
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControl.C b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControl.C
index 5a41fee6f6..e8647eed49 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControl.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControl.C
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ const Foam::NamedEnum<Foam::timeControl::timeControls, 9>
     Foam::timeControl::timeControlNames_;
 
 
+
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Constructors  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
 Foam::timeControl::timeControl
@@ -78,6 +79,23 @@ Foam::timeControl::~timeControl()
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
+bool Foam::timeControl::entriesPresent
+(
+    const dictionary& dict,
+    const word& prefix
+)
+{
+    const word controlName(prefix + "Control");
+
+    if (dict.found(controlName))
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
+
 void Foam::timeControl::read(const dictionary& dict)
 {
     word controlName(prefix_ + "Control");
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControl.H b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControl.H
index c592b3d9ca..247ef2d3de 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControl.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControl.H
@@ -121,6 +121,10 @@ public:
 
     // Member Functions
 
+        //- Helper function to identify if a timeControl object is present
+        //  in the dictionary
+        static bool entriesPresent(const dictionary& dict, const word& prefix);
+
         //- Read from dictionary
         void read(const dictionary&);
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControlFunctionObject.C b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControlFunctionObject.C
index 344899ee93..02b174d419 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControlFunctionObject.C
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControlFunctionObject.C
@@ -93,6 +93,24 @@ Foam::functionObjects::timeControl::timeControl
 
 // * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Member Functions  * * * * * * * * * * * * * //
 
+bool Foam::functionObjects::timeControl::entriesPresent(const dictionary& dict)
+{
+    if
+    (
+        Foam::timeControl::entriesPresent(dict, "write")
+     || Foam::timeControl::entriesPresent(dict, "output") // backwards compat
+     || Foam::timeControl::entriesPresent(dict, "execute")
+     || dict.found("timeStart")
+     || dict.found("timeEnd")
+    )
+    {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
+
 bool Foam::functionObjects::timeControl::execute()
 {
     if (active() && (postProcess || executeControl_.execute()))
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControlFunctionObject.H b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControlFunctionObject.H
index d019a7e8b6..9108d12f52 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControlFunctionObject.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/db/functionObjects/timeControl/timeControlFunctionObject.H
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@ public:
 
         // Function object control
 
+            //- Helper function to identify if a timeControl object is present
+            //  in the dictionary
+            static bool entriesPresent(const dictionary& dict);
+
             //- Called at each ++ or += of the time-loop.
             //  postProcess overrides the usual executeControl behaviour and
             //  forces execution (used in post-processing mode)