diff --git a/src/clib/pio_msg.c b/src/clib/pio_msg.c
index 06fafd6a47b..cb458fbd80b 100644
--- a/src/clib/pio_msg.c
+++ b/src/clib/pio_msg.c
@@ -1970,6 +1970,7 @@ int open_file_handler(iosystem_desc_t *ios)
     int len;
     int iotype;
     int mode;
+    int use_ext_ncid;
     int mpierr;
 
     PLOG((1, "open_file_handler comproot = %d", ios->comproot));
@@ -1990,13 +1991,16 @@ int open_file_handler(iosystem_desc_t *ios)
         return check_mpi(ios, NULL, mpierr, __FILE__, __LINE__);
     if ((mpierr = MPI_Bcast(&mode, 1, MPI_INT, 0, ios->intercomm)))
         return check_mpi(ios, NULL, mpierr, __FILE__, __LINE__);
+    if ((mpierr = MPI_Bcast(&use_ext_ncid, 1, MPI_INT, 0, ios->intercomm)))
+        return check_mpi(ios, NULL, mpierr, __FILE__, __LINE__);
 
-    PLOG((2, "open_file_handler got parameters len = %d filename = %s iotype = %d mode = %d",
-          len, filename, iotype, mode));
+    PLOG((2, "len %d filename %s iotype %d mode %d use_ext_ncid %d",
+          len, filename, iotype, mode, use_ext_ncid));
 
     /* Call the open file function. Errors are handled within
      * function, so return code can be ignored. */
-    PIOc_openfile_retry(ios->iosysid, &ncid, &iotype, filename, mode, 0, 0);
+    PIOc_openfile_retry(ios->iosysid, &ncid, &iotype, filename, mode, 0,
+                        use_ext_ncid);
 
     return PIO_NOERR;
 }
diff --git a/src/clib/pioc_support.c b/src/clib/pioc_support.c
index 849e6f61e5e..1c5d28e0e88 100644
--- a/src/clib/pioc_support.c
+++ b/src/clib/pioc_support.c
@@ -2573,6 +2573,8 @@ PIOc_openfile_retry(int iosysid, int *ncidp, int *iotype, const char *filename,
                 mpierr = MPI_Bcast(&file->iotype, 1, MPI_INT, ios->compmaster, ios->intercomm);
             if (!mpierr)
                 mpierr = MPI_Bcast(&mode, 1, MPI_INT, ios->compmaster, ios->intercomm);
+            if (!mpierr)
+                mpierr = MPI_Bcast(&use_ext_ncid, 1, MPI_INT, ios->compmaster, ios->intercomm);
         }
 
         /* Handle MPI errors. */