diff --git a/base/FileIOShared.F90 b/base/FileIOShared.F90
index 0d638b1c78cd..657b677650a9 100644
--- a/base/FileIOShared.F90
+++ b/base/FileIOShared.F90
@@ -544,12 +544,12 @@ subroutine ArrDescrInit(ArrDes,comm,im_world,jm_world,lm_world,nx,ny,num_readers
          ArrDes%jm_world=jm_world
          ArrDes%lm_world=lm_world
 
-         call MPI_Comm_Dup(readers_comm, ArrDes%readers_comm, status)
-         call MPI_Comm_Dup(ioscattercomm, ArrDes%IOscattercomm, status)
-         call MPI_Comm_Dup(writers_comm, ArrDes%writers_comm, status)
-         call MPI_Comm_Dup(iogathercomm, ArrDes%IOgathercomm, status)
-         call MPI_Comm_Dup(xcomm, ArrDes%Xcomm, status)
-         call MPI_Comm_Dup(ycomm, ArrDes%Ycomm, status)
+         call MAPL_Comm_dup(readers_comm, ArrDes%readers_comm, status)
+         call MAPL_Comm_dup(ioscattercomm, ArrDes%IOscattercomm, status)
+         call MAPL_Comm_dup(writers_comm, ArrDes%writers_comm, status)
+         call MAPL_Comm_dup(iogathercomm, ArrDes%IOgathercomm, status)
+         call MAPL_Comm_dup(xcomm, ArrDes%Xcomm, status)
+         call MAPL_Comm_dup(ycomm, ArrDes%Ycomm, status)
          call mpi_comm_rank(arrdes%ycomm,arrdes%myrow,status)
          _VERIFY(status)
 
@@ -595,16 +595,16 @@ subroutine ArrDescrSet(ArrDes, offset, &
       
       if(present(offset  )) ArrDes%offset   = offset
       if(present(readers_comm )) then
-         call MPI_Comm_Dup(readers_comm, ArrDes%readers_comm, status)
+         call MAPL_Comm_dup(readers_comm, ArrDes%readers_comm, status)
       end if
       if(present(ioscattercomm)) then
-         call MPI_Comm_Dup(IOscattercomm, ArrDes%IOscattercomm, status)
+         call MAPL_Comm_dup(IOscattercomm, ArrDes%IOscattercomm, status)
       end if
       if(present(writers_comm )) then
-         call MPI_Comm_Dup(writers_comm, ArrDes%writers_comm, status)
+         call MAPL_Comm_dup(writers_comm, ArrDes%writers_comm, status)
       end if
       if(present(iogathercomm)) then
-         call MPI_Comm_Dup(IOgathercomm, ArrDes%IOgathercomm, status)
+         call MAPL_Comm_dup(IOgathercomm, ArrDes%IOgathercomm, status)
       end if
       if(present(i1      )) ArrDes%i1       => i1
       if(present(in      )) ArrDes%in       => in
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ subroutine ArrDescrCreateWriterComm(arrdes, full_comm, num_writers, rc)
        call MPI_COMM_SPLIT(full_comm, color, myid, arrdes%writers_comm, status)
        _VERIFY(status)
        if (num_writers==ny) then
-          call MPI_Comm_Dup(arrdes%Xcomm, ArrDes%IOgathercomm, status)
+          call MAPL_Comm_dup(arrdes%Xcomm, ArrDes%IOgathercomm, status)
        else
             j = arrdes%NY0 - mod(arrdes%NY0-1,ny_by_writers)
           call MPI_COMM_SPLIT(full_comm, j, myid, arrdes%IOgathercomm, status)
@@ -693,7 +693,7 @@ subroutine ArrDescrCreateReaderComm(arrdes, full_comm, num_readers, rc)
        call MPI_COMM_SPLIT(full_comm, color, MYID, arrdes%readers_comm, status)
        _VERIFY(status)
        if (num_readers==ny) then
-          call MPI_Comm_Dup(arrdes%Xcomm, ArrDes%IOscattercomm, status)
+          call MAPL_Comm_dup(arrdes%Xcomm, ArrDes%IOscattercomm, status)
        else
           j = arrdes%NY0 - mod(arrdes%NY0-1,ny_by_readers)
           call MPI_COMM_SPLIT(full_comm, j, MYID, arrdes%IOscattercomm, status)
@@ -917,4 +917,19 @@ subroutine MAPL_CommFree(comm, rc)
     end if
     _RETURN(ESMF_SUCCESS)
   end subroutine MAPL_CommFree
+
+  subroutine MAPL_Comm_Dup(comm, newcomm, rc)
+    integer, intent(in) :: comm
+    integer, intent(out) :: newcomm
+    integer, optional, intent(out) :: rc
+
+    integer :: status
+
+    newcomm = MPI_COMM_NULL 
+    if(comm /= MPI_COMM_NULL) then
+       call MPI_Comm_Dup(comm, newcomm,status)
+       _VERIFY(status)
+    end if
+    _RETURN(ESMF_SUCCESS)
+  end subroutine MAPL_Comm_Dup
 end module FileIOSharedMod