diff --git a/src/initialization/MOM_state_initialization.F90 b/src/initialization/MOM_state_initialization.F90
index 4bddc0965a..a0de043555 100644
--- a/src/initialization/MOM_state_initialization.F90
+++ b/src/initialization/MOM_state_initialization.F90
@@ -720,7 +720,10 @@ subroutine initialize_thickness_from_file(h, depth_tot, G, GV, US, param_file, f
                  "The name of the thickness file.", &
                  fail_if_missing=.not.just_read, do_not_log=just_read)
 
-  filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(thickness_file)
+  filename = trim(thickness_file)
+  if (scan(thickness_file, "/") == 0) then ! prepend inputdir if only a filename is given
+    filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(thickness_file)
+  endif
   if (.not.just_read) call log_param(param_file, mdl, "INPUTDIR/THICKNESS_FILE", filename)
 
   if ((.not.just_read) .and. (.not.file_exists(filename, G%Domain))) call MOM_error(FATAL, &
@@ -1446,7 +1449,10 @@ subroutine initialize_velocity_from_file(u, v, G, GV, US, param_file, just_read)
   call get_param(param_file, mdl, "INPUTDIR", inputdir, default=".")
   inputdir = slasher(inputdir)
 
-  filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(velocity_file)
+  filename = trim(velocity_file)
+  if (scan(velocity_file, '/')== 0) then ! prepend inputdir if only a filename is given
+    filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(velocity_file)
+  endif
   if (.not.just_read) call log_param(param_file, mdl, "INPUTDIR/VELOCITY_FILE", filename)
 
   call get_param(param_file, mdl, "U_IC_VAR", u_IC_var, &
@@ -1627,7 +1633,10 @@ subroutine initialize_temp_salt_from_file(T, S, G, GV, US, param_file, just_read
   call get_param(param_file, mdl, "INPUTDIR", inputdir, default=".")
   inputdir = slasher(inputdir)
 
-  filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(ts_file)
+  filename = trim(ts_file)
+  if (scan(ts_file, '/')== 0) then ! prepend inputdir if only a filename is given
+    filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(ts_file)
+  endif
   if (.not.just_read) call log_param(param_file, mdl, "INPUTDIR/TS_FILE", filename)
   call get_param(param_file, mdl, "TEMP_IC_VAR", temp_var, &
                  "The initial condition variable for potential temperature.", &
@@ -1647,7 +1656,10 @@ subroutine initialize_temp_salt_from_file(T, S, G, GV, US, param_file, just_read
   ! Read the temperatures and salinities from netcdf files.
   call MOM_read_data(filename, temp_var, T(:,:,:), G%Domain, scale=US%degC_to_C)
 
-  salt_filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(salt_file)
+  salt_filename = trim(salt_file)
+  if (scan(salt_file, '/')== 0) then ! prepend inputdir if only a filename is given
+    salt_filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(salt_file)
+  endif
   if (.not.file_exists(salt_filename, G%Domain)) call MOM_error(FATAL, &
      " initialize_temp_salt_from_file: Unable to open "//trim(salt_filename))
 
@@ -1977,7 +1989,10 @@ subroutine initialize_sponges_file(G, GV, US, use_temperature, tv, u, v, depth_t
                  default=.false.)
 
   ! Read in sponge damping rate for tracers
-  filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(damping_file)
+  filename = trim(damping_file)
+  if (scan(damping_file, '/')== 0) then ! prepend inputdir if only a filename is given
+    filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(damping_file)
+  endif
   call log_param(param_file, mdl, "INPUTDIR/SPONGE_DAMPING_FILE", filename)
   if (.not.file_exists(filename, G%Domain)) &
     call MOM_error(FATAL, " initialize_sponges: Unable to open "//trim(filename))
@@ -2281,7 +2296,10 @@ subroutine initialize_oda_incupd_file(G, GV, US, use_temperature, tv, h, u, v, p
 !  call get_param(param_file, mdl, "USE_REGRIDDING", use_ALE, default=.false., do_not_log=.true.)
 
   ! Read in incremental update for tracers
-  filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(inc_file)
+  filename = trim(inc_file)
+  if (scan(inc_file, '/')== 0) then ! prepend inputdir if only a filename is given
+    filename = trim(inputdir)//trim(inc_file)
+  endif
   call log_param(param_file, mdl, "INPUTDIR/ODA_INCUPD_FILE", filename)
   if (.not.file_exists(filename, G%Domain)) &
     call MOM_error(FATAL, " initialize_oda_incupd: Unable to open "//trim(filename))