diff --git a/Inst_eddies/Tests/long_tests.json b/Inst_eddies/Tests/long_tests.json
index c24c09bdd8bbda2571547af026c69933a77986d0..ea8f7c77558b5c29b79d90ceed6e59df280543c4 100644
--- a/Inst_eddies/Tests/long_tests.json
+++ b/Inst_eddies/Tests/long_tests.json
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 	    ["$src_dir/Inst_eddies/Tests/Input/uv_region_3.nc", "uv.nc"]
 	],
 	"create_file": ["main_nml.txt", "&main_nml min_amp = 0./\n"],
-	"input": "20454\n",
+	"input": "&dates_nml date = 20454/\n",
 	"description": "Larger region, 120 x 120. Includes degenerate extrema."
     },
     {
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 	    ["$src_dir/Inst_eddies/Tests/Input/uv_region_3.nc", "uv.nc"]
 	],
 	"create_file": ["main_nml.txt", "&main_nml /\n"],
-	"input": "20454\n",
+	"input": "&dates_nml date = 20454/\n",
 	"description":
 	"Same as Extraction_eddies_region_3 except with 1 mm minimum amplitude."
     },
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
 	    ["$src_dir/Inst_eddies/Tests/Input/uv_region_5.nc", "uv.nc"]
 	],
 	"create_file": ["main_nml.txt", "&main_nml /\n"],
-	"input": "20454\n",
+	"input": "&dates_nml date = 20454/\n",
 	"description": "Same as Extraction_eddies_region_4 with larger domain."
     },
     {
diff --git a/Inst_eddies/Tests/short_tests.json b/Inst_eddies/Tests/short_tests.json
index b694ce088bd02409957be37d403cc3841aa46f5a..adad7bac5ada615e9b37fa2e4391a93a72197e3d 100644
--- a/Inst_eddies/Tests/short_tests.json
+++ b/Inst_eddies/Tests/short_tests.json
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@
     },
     {
         "create_file": ["main_nml.txt", "&main_nml min_amp = 0./\n"],
-	"input": "20454\n",
+	"input": "&dates_nml date = 20454/\n",
         "symlink": [
             [
 		"$src_dir/Inst_eddies/Tests/Input/Region_1/huv_region_1_2006_01_01.nc",
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@
         "description":
 	"Same as Extraction_eddies_region_1 but with non-zero minimal amplitude.",
         "create_file": ["main_nml.txt", "&main_nml /\n"],
-	"input": "20454\n",
+	"input": "&dates_nml date = 20454/\n",
         "symlink":
 	[
             [
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@
     },
     {
         "create_file": ["main_nml.txt", "&main_nml min_amp = 0./\n"],
-	"input": "20454\n",
+	"input": "&dates_nml date = 20454/\n",
         "symlink": [
             ["$src_dir/Inst_eddies/Tests/Input/h_region_2.nc", "h.nc"],
             ["$src_dir/Inst_eddies/Tests/Input/uv_region_2.nc", "uv.nc"]
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@
 	    "main_nml.txt",
 	    "&main_nml min_amp = 0., MAX_RADIUS_deg = 80., 72./\n"
 	],
-	"input": "20454\n",
+	"input": "&dates_nml date = 20454/\n",
         "symlink": [
             [
                 "$src_dir/Inst_eddies/Tests/Input/h_2006_01_01_coarse.nc",
diff --git a/Inst_eddies/inst_eddies.f90 b/Inst_eddies/inst_eddies.f90
index 4c28beb2fe9a9c47577283133a42201041256d77..4bf367db3520ab9956b4166cf51712c63ca484c1 100644
--- a/Inst_eddies/inst_eddies.f90
+++ b/Inst_eddies/inst_eddies.f90
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ program inst_eddies
 
   type(snapshot) s
   TYPE(shpc_slice_handler) hshpc_cyclo, hshpc_anti
-  integer i, date, iostat
+  integer i, iostat
   integer unit
 
   integer nlon, nlat
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ program inst_eddies
 
   logical exist
   real t0, t1 ! CPU times, in s
+  integer:: date = 0
+  namelist /dates_nml/ date
 
   !--------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -78,8 +80,8 @@ program inst_eddies
        "inst_eddies: not enough IEEE support")
   inquire(file = "SHPC_cyclo/extremum.shp", exist = exist)
   call config(exist) ! We need main_nml before looking at the input files.
-  print *, "date = ?"
-  read *, date
+  print *, "inst_eddies: Enter dates_nml:"
+  read(unit = *, nml = dates_nml)
 
   call input_ssh(corner, step, nlon, nlat, periodic, ssh, u, v, corner_deg, &
        step_deg)
diff --git a/Inst_eddies/inst_eddies.py.in b/Inst_eddies/inst_eddies.py.in
index 1148e8fced337fc6cb4d928eed02a9f8585ee3bf..ad8a5e5c63070ffbd9871959f8fa57b46ee7e609 100644
--- a/Inst_eddies/inst_eddies.py.in
+++ b/Inst_eddies/inst_eddies.py.in
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ def loop_inst_eddies(files, bbox, d):
             os.symlink("unpacked.nc", "uv.nc")
             elapsed_NCO = time.perf_counter() - my_pc
             my_pc = time.perf_counter()
-            subprocess.run(inst_eddies_exe, check = True, input = str(d) + "\n",
-                           text = True)
+            subprocess.run(inst_eddies_exe, check = True, input = "&dates_nml "
+                           f"date = {d}/\n", text = True)
             elapsed_Fortran = time.perf_counter() - my_pc
             os.remove("h.nc")
             os.remove("uv.nc")