diff --git a/ush/forecast_postdet.sh b/ush/forecast_postdet.sh
index 7cb2badadc..65ab5695f9 100755
--- a/ush/forecast_postdet.sh
+++ b/ush/forecast_postdet.sh
@@ -372,13 +372,13 @@ WW3_postdet() {
     ${NCP} "${ww3_binary_restart_file}" "${DATA}/${ww3_restart_dest_file}" \
              || ( echo "FATAL ERROR: Unable to copy binary WW3 IC, ABORT!"; exit 1 )
   else
-    if [[ "${RERUN}" == "YES" ]]; then
+    if [[ "${RERUN}" == "YES" ]] || [[ -f "${DATA}/ufs.cpld.cpl.r.nc" ]]; then
       # In the case of a RERUN, the WW3 restart file is required
-      echo "FATAL ERROR: WW3 binary | netcdf restart file '${ww3_binary_restart_file}' | '${ww3_netcdf_restart_file}' not found for RERUN='${RERUN}', ABORT!"
+      # In the case of runtype=continue, if no wave restart when using PIO, the model will fail
+      echo "FATAL ERROR: WW3 binary | netcdf restart file '${ww3_binary_restart_file}' | '${ww3_netcdf_restart_file}' not found for RERUN='${RERUN}' or runtype=continue, ABORT!"
       exit 1
     else
       echo "WARNING: WW3 binary | netcdf restart file '${ww3_binary_restart_file}' | '${ww3_netcdf_restart_file}' not found for warm_start='${warm_start}', will start from rest!"
-      export WW3_restart_from_binary=true
     fi
   fi