diff --git a/dartwrf/prepare_wrfrundir.py b/dartwrf/prepare_wrfrundir.py
index 2d0b141fb57ee9f51a733b8134445eac96c69282..99690da25d95afb52193fbee101a786fa29bbf55 100755
--- a/dartwrf/prepare_wrfrundir.py
+++ b/dartwrf/prepare_wrfrundir.py
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         symlink(cluster.ideal, rundir+'/ideal.exe')
         symlink(cluster.wrfexe, rundir+'/wrf.exe')
 
-        # time not important, but general settings
-        prepare_namelist.run(iens, begin=init_time, end=dt.datetime(2008, 7, 30, 23),
-                            archive=False)
-
         # prepare input profiles
         if hasattr(exp, 'input_profile'):
+
+            prepare_namelist.run(iens, begin=init_time, end=dt.datetime(2008, 7, 30, 23),
+                                archive=False) # time not important, but general settings
+            
             input_prof = (exp.input_profile).replace('<iens>', str(iens).zfill(3))
             symlink(input_prof, rundir+'/input_sounding')