diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/subsetMesh/subsetMesh.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/subsetMesh/subsetMesh.C
index 338c8dbcb1c6ffd1da88073613122d3d85b1a39d..f00cc8716fe0a1db3043dd93cc672e3b287a1515 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/subsetMesh/subsetMesh.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/subsetMesh/subsetMesh.C
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
     else
     {
-        mesh.setInstance(oldInstance);
+        subsetter.subMesh().setInstance(oldInstance);
     }
 
     Info<< "Writing subsetted mesh and fields to time " << runTime.timeName()