diff --git a/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/splitMesh/splitMesh.C b/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/splitMesh/splitMesh.C
index 65e4d33237df440e9b72236179b6d617645ca7db..bc193810bd96c1c43fb4739cf734c5363a54a11f 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/splitMesh/splitMesh.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/mesh/manipulation/splitMesh/splitMesh.C
@@ -270,6 +270,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     {
         mesh.setInstance(oldInstance);
     }
+    else
+    {
+        mesh.setInstance(runTime.timeName());
+    }
 
     Info<< "Writing mesh to " << runTime.timeName() << endl;
     if (!mesh.write())