diff --git a/src/hdf5_interface.F90 b/src/hdf5_interface.F90
index bd14245526..56da0def1f 100644
--- a/src/hdf5_interface.F90
+++ b/src/hdf5_interface.F90
@@ -331,11 +331,18 @@ contains
     character(*),   intent(in) :: name ! name of group
     logical :: exists
 
-    integer :: hdf5_err ! HDF5 error code
+    interface
+      function object_exists_c(obj_id, name) result(exists) &
+           bind(C, name='object_exists')
+        import HID_T, C_CHAR, C_BOOL
+        integer(HID_T), value :: obj_id
+        character(kind=C_CHAR), intent(in) :: name(*)
+        logical(C_BOOL) :: exists
+      end function object_exists_c
+    end interface
 
     ! Check if group exists
-    call h5ltpath_valid_f(object_id, trim(name), .true., exists, hdf5_err)
-
+    exists = object_exists_c(object_id, to_c_string(name))
   end function object_exists
 
 !===============================================================================
@@ -1475,20 +1482,15 @@ contains
     integer(HID_T), intent(in)  :: obj_id
     integer,        intent(out) :: ndims
 
-    integer          :: hdf5_err
-    integer          :: type
-    integer(HID_T)   :: space_id
+    interface
+      function dataset_ndims(dset) result(ndims) bind(C)
+        import HID_T, C_INT
+        integer(HID_T), value :: dset
+        integer(C_INT) :: ndims
+      end function dataset_ndims
+    end interface
 
-    call h5iget_type_f(obj_id, type, hdf5_err)
-    if (type == H5I_DATASET_F) then
-      call h5dget_space_f(obj_id, space_id, hdf5_err)
-      call h5sget_simple_extent_ndims_f(space_id, ndims, hdf5_err)
-      call h5sclose_f(space_id, hdf5_err)
-    elseif (type == H5I_ATTR_F) then
-      call h5aget_space_f(obj_id, space_id, hdf5_err)
-      call h5sget_simple_extent_ndims_f(space_id, ndims, hdf5_err)
-      call h5sclose_f(space_id, hdf5_err)
-    end if
+    ndims = dataset_ndims(obj_id)
   end subroutine get_ndims
 
   function using_mpio_device(obj_id) result(mpio)
diff --git a/src/hdf5_interface.cpp b/src/hdf5_interface.cpp
index 3e906a94ab..8fef1bd951 100644
--- a/src/hdf5_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/hdf5_interface.cpp
@@ -69,12 +69,14 @@ create_group(hid_t parent_id, char const *name)
   return out;
 }
 
+
 hid_t
 create_group(hid_t parent_id, const std::string &name)
 {
   return create_group(parent_id, name.c_str());
 }
 
+
 void
 close_dataset(hid_t dataset_id)
 {
@@ -89,6 +91,16 @@ close_group(hid_t group_id)
 }
 
 
+int
+dataset_ndims(hid_t dset)
+{
+  hid_t dspace = H5Dget_space(dset);
+  int ndims = H5Sget_simple_extent_ndims(dspace);
+  H5Sclose(dspace);
+  return ndims;
+}
+
+
 hid_t
 file_open(const char* filename, char mode, bool parallel)
 {
diff --git a/src/hdf5_interface.h b/src/hdf5_interface.h
index ca5e27e7e8..6759ffc64a 100644
--- a/src/hdf5_interface.h
+++ b/src/hdf5_interface.h
@@ -15,12 +15,13 @@ hid_t create_group(hid_t parent_id, const char* name);
 hid_t create_group(hid_t parent_id, const std::string& name);
 void close_dataset(hid_t dataset_id);
 void close_group(hid_t group_id);
+extern "C" int dataset_ndims(hid_t dset);
 extern "C" hid_t file_open(const char* filename, char mode, bool parallel);
 hid_t file_open(const std::string& filename, char mode, bool parallel);
 extern "C" void file_close(hid_t file_id);
 extern "C" void get_shape(hid_t obj_if, hsize_t* dims);
 extern "C" void get_shape_attr(hid_t obj_if, const char* name, hsize_t* dims);
-bool object_exists(hid_t object_id, const char* name);
+extern "C" bool object_exists(hid_t object_id, const char* name);
 hid_t open_dataset(hid_t group_id, const char* name);
 hid_t open_group(hid_t group_id, const char* name);
 bool using_mpio_device(hid_t obj_id);