diff --git a/Source/smokeview/IOsmoke.c b/Source/smokeview/IOsmoke.c
index a65c9f119..da5f86406 100644
--- a/Source/smokeview/IOsmoke.c
+++ b/Source/smokeview/IOsmoke.c
@@ -2140,17 +2140,7 @@ FILE_SIZE ReadSmoke3D(int time_frame,int ifile_arg,int load_flag, int first_time
 
   IF_NOT_USEMESH_RETURN0(smoke3di->loaded, smoke3di->blocknumber);
   if(smoke3di->type == SOOT_index){
-    // only use s3dd files if they are newer than the smv file
-    if(ignore_s3dd_files == 0){
-      if(s3dd_files_ok == 1 || IsFileNewer(smoke3di->smoke_density_file, smv_filename) == 1){
-        SMOKE3DFILE = FOPEN(smoke3di->smoke_density_file, "rb");
-        s3dd_files_ok = 1;
-      }
-      else{
-        // s3dd files are older or they do not exist
-        ignore_s3dd_files = 1;
-      }
-    }
+    SMOKE3DFILE = FOPEN(smoke3di->smoke_density_file, "rb");
     if(SMOKE3DFILE == NULL)SMOKE3DFILE = FOPEN(smoke3di->file, "rb");
   }
   else{
diff --git a/Source/smokeview/smokeviewvars.h b/Source/smokeview/smokeviewvars.h
index c252fc94a..9a3c3c5ab 100644
--- a/Source/smokeview/smokeviewvars.h
+++ b/Source/smokeview/smokeviewvars.h
@@ -422,7 +422,6 @@ SVEXTERN int SVDECL(npart5loaded_old, 0), SVDECL(npartloaded_old, 0);
 SVEXTERN int SVDECL(select_part, 0), SVDECL(selected_part_index, -1);
 SVEXTERN int SVDECL(smoke3d_compression_type, COMPRESSED_UNKNOWN);
 SVEXTERN int SVDECL(update_smoke3dmenulabels, 0);
-SVEXTERN int SVDECL(ignore_s3dd_files, 0), SVDECL(s3dd_files_ok, 0);
 
 SVEXTERN int SVDECL(global_have_global_bound_file, 0);
 SVEXTERN FILE_SIZE  SVDECL(global_part_boundsize, 0);