diff --git a/physics/GWD/cires_ugwp.F90 b/physics/GWD/cires_ugwp.F90
index beb7dbbc7..bcde8673f 100644
--- a/physics/GWD/cires_ugwp.F90
+++ b/physics/GWD/cires_ugwp.F90
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ subroutine cires_ugwp_init (me, master, nlunit, input_nml_file, logunit, &
     if (do_ugwp .or. cdmbgwd(3) > 0.0) then
       call cires_ugwpv0_mod_init (me, master, nlunit, input_nml_file, logunit, &
                                 fn_nml2, lonr, latr, levs, ak, bk, con_p0, dtp, &
-                                cdmbgwd(1:2), cgwf, pa_rf_in, tau_rf_in)
+                                cdmbgwd(1:2), cgwf, pa_rf_in, tau_rf_in, &
+                                errmsg, errflg)
+      if (errflg/=0) return
     else
       write(errmsg,'(*(a))') "Logic error: cires_ugwp_init called but do_ugwp is false and cdmbgwd(3) <= 0"
       errflg = 1
diff --git a/physics/GWD/cires_ugwp_module.F90 b/physics/GWD/cires_ugwp_module.F90
index a454a5eae..f34b0a7fa 100644
--- a/physics/GWD/cires_ugwp_module.F90
+++ b/physics/GWD/cires_ugwp_module.F90
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ module  cires_ugwpv0_module
 !>This subroutine initializes CIRES UGWP 
    subroutine cires_ugwpv0_mod_init (me, master, nlunit, input_nml_file, logunit, &
               fn_nml, lonr, latr, levs, ak, bk, pref, dtp, cdmvgwd, cgwf,    &
-              pa_rf_in, tau_rf_in)
+              pa_rf_in, tau_rf_in, errmsg, errflg)
 
     use  ugwpv0_oro_init,     only :  init_oro_gws_v0
     use  ugwpv0_wmsdis_init,  only :  initsolv_wmsdis_v0, ilaunch
@@ -129,7 +129,11 @@ subroutine cires_ugwpv0_mod_init (me, master, nlunit, input_nml_file, logunit, &
     real,                 intent (in) :: cdmvgwd(2), cgwf(2)             ! "scaling" controls for "old" GFS-GW schemes
     real,                 intent (in) :: pa_rf_in, tau_rf_in
 
+    character(len=*),     intent(inout) :: errmsg
+    integer,              intent(inout) :: errflg
+
     integer :: ios
+    character(len=256) :: msg
     logical :: exists
     real    :: dxsg
     integer :: k
@@ -142,10 +146,16 @@ subroutine cires_ugwpv0_mod_init (me, master, nlunit, input_nml_file, logunit, &
     inquire (file =trim (fn_nml) , exist = exists)
 
     if (.not. exists) then
-       if (me == master) &
-        write (6, *) 'separate ugwp :: namelist file: ', trim (fn_nml), ' does not exist'
+       write(errmsg,*) 'separate ugwp :: namelist file: ', trim (fn_nml), ' does not exist'
+       errflg = 1
+       return
     else
-        open (unit = nlunit, file = trim(fn_nml), action = 'read', status = 'old', iostat = ios)
+       open (unit = nlunit, file = trim(fn_nml), action = 'read', status = 'old', iostat = ios, iomsg = msg)
+       if (ios /= 0) then
+          write(errmsg,*) 'ERROR: cannot open namelist file ', trim(fn_nml), ' iostat=', ios, ' msg="' // trim(msg) // '"'
+          errflg = 1
+          return
+       endif
     endif
     rewind (nlunit)
     read   (nlunit, nml = cires_ugwp_nml)
diff --git a/physics/GWD/unified_ugwp.F90 b/physics/GWD/unified_ugwp.F90
index aeaa54471..2fbafff24 100644
--- a/physics/GWD/unified_ugwp.F90
+++ b/physics/GWD/unified_ugwp.F90
@@ -138,7 +138,9 @@ subroutine unified_ugwp_init (me, master, nlunit, input_nml_file, logunit, &
        if (cdmbgwd(3) > 0.0) then
         call cires_ugwpv0_mod_init(me, master, nlunit, input_nml_file, logunit, &
                                 fn_nml2, lonr, latr, levs, ak, bk, con_p0, dtp, &
-                                cdmbgwd(1:2), cgwf, pa_rf_in, tau_rf_in)
+                                cdmbgwd(1:2), cgwf, pa_rf_in, tau_rf_in, &
+                                errmsg, errflg)
+        if (errflg/=0) return
        else
          write(errmsg,'(*(a))') "Logic error: cires_ugwp_mod_init called but &
                &do_ugwp_v0 or do_ugwp_v0_nst_only is true and cdmbgwd(3) <= 0"
diff --git a/physics/SFC_Models/Land/Noahmp/lnd_iau_mod.F90 b/physics/SFC_Models/Land/Noahmp/lnd_iau_mod.F90
index f82669a5d..cf32a8604 100644
--- a/physics/SFC_Models/Land/Noahmp/lnd_iau_mod.F90
+++ b/physics/SFC_Models/Land/Noahmp/lnd_iau_mod.F90
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@ subroutine land_iau_mod_set_control(Land_IAU_Control,fn_nml,input_nml_file, me,
          write(iosstr, '(I0)') ios         
          errmsg = 'lnd_iau_mod_set_control: I/O error code '//trim(iosstr)//' at land_iau namelist read'  
          errflg = 1
+#ifndef INTERNAL_FILE_NML
+         close(nlunit)
+#endif
          return
     end if 
        
@@ -179,6 +182,9 @@ subroutine land_iau_mod_set_control(Land_IAU_Control,fn_nml,input_nml_file, me,
           WRITE(6, * ) 'lnd_iau_mod_set_control: Warning! EoF ('//trim(iosstr)//') while reading land_iau namelist,' &
                   // ' likely because land_iau_nml was not found in input.nml. It will be set to default.' 
         endif
+#ifndef INTERNAL_FILE_NML
+        close(nlunit)
+#endif
    endif
 
    if (me == mpi_root) then