diff --git a/src/flib/ncint_mod.F90 b/src/flib/ncint_mod.F90
index e15f3cc7b63..9851ddd41b5 100644
--- a/src/flib/ncint_mod.F90
+++ b/src/flib/ncint_mod.F90
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ module ncint_mod
   !! @param rearr_opts the rearranger options.
   !! @author Ed Hartnett
   !<
-  subroutine nf_init_intracom(comp_rank, comp_comm, num_iotasks, &
-       num_aggregator, stride,  rearr, iosystem, base, rearr_opts)
+  function nf_init_intracom(comp_rank, comp_comm, num_iotasks, &
+       num_aggregator, stride,  rearr, iosystem, base, rearr_opts) result(ierr)
     use pio_types, only : pio_internal_error, pio_rearr_opt_t
     use iso_c_binding
 
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ end function nc_set_iosystem
 
     ierr = nc_set_iosystem(iosystem%iosysid)
 
-  end subroutine nf_init_intracom
+  end function nf_init_intracom
 
   !>
   !! @public
diff --git a/tests/fncint/ftst_pio.f90 b/tests/fncint/ftst_pio.f90
index 8c1b9310e6a..fa43db5053e 100644
--- a/tests/fncint/ftst_pio.f90
+++ b/tests/fncint/ftst_pio.f90
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ program ftst_pio
 
   ierr = pio_set_log_level(2)
   ierr = nf_set_log_level(2)
-  call nf_init_intracom(myRank, MPI_COMM_WORLD, niotasks, numAggregator, &
+  ierr = nf_init_intracom(myRank, MPI_COMM_WORLD, niotasks, numAggregator, &
        stride, PIO_rearr_subset, ioSystem, base)
 
   ierr = nf_create(FILE_NAME, 64, ncid)