diff --git a/include/openmc/hdf5_interface.h b/include/openmc/hdf5_interface.h
index e9d9b4f96..0092c08f8 100644
--- a/include/openmc/hdf5_interface.h
+++ b/include/openmc/hdf5_interface.h
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ void ensure_exists(hid_t obj_id, const char* name, bool attribute = false);
 vector<std::string> group_names(hid_t group_id);
 vector<hsize_t> object_shape(hid_t obj_id);
 std::string object_name(hid_t obj_id);
+hid_t open_object(hid_t group_id, const std::string& name);
+void close_object(hid_t obj_id);
 
 //==============================================================================
 // Fortran compatibility functions
diff --git a/src/endf.cpp b/src/endf.cpp
index 60db3efa4..3ccfdbd21 100644
--- a/src/endf.cpp
+++ b/src/endf.cpp
@@ -90,23 +90,23 @@ bool is_inelastic_scatter(int mt)
 
 unique_ptr<Function1D> read_function(hid_t group, const char* name)
 {
-  hid_t dset = open_dataset(group, name);
+  hid_t obj_id = open_object(group, name);
   std::string func_type;
-  read_attribute(dset, "type", func_type);
+  read_attribute(obj_id, "type", func_type);
   unique_ptr<Function1D> func;
   if (func_type == "Tabulated1D") {
-    func = make_unique<Tabulated1D>(dset);
+    func = make_unique<Tabulated1D>(obj_id);
   } else if (func_type == "Polynomial") {
-    func = make_unique<Polynomial>(dset);
+    func = make_unique<Polynomial>(obj_id);
   } else if (func_type == "CoherentElastic") {
-    func = make_unique<CoherentElasticXS>(dset);
+    func = make_unique<CoherentElasticXS>(obj_id);
   } else if (func_type == "IncoherentElastic") {
-    func = make_unique<IncoherentElasticXS>(dset);
+    func = make_unique<IncoherentElasticXS>(obj_id);
   } else {
     throw std::runtime_error {"Unknown function type " + func_type +
-                              " for dataset " + object_name(dset)};
+                              " for dataset " + object_name(obj_id)};
   }
-  close_dataset(dset);
+  close_object(obj_id);
   return func;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/hdf5_interface.cpp b/src/hdf5_interface.cpp
index d53ad3879..27b750b93 100644
--- a/src/hdf5_interface.cpp
+++ b/src/hdf5_interface.cpp
@@ -118,6 +118,12 @@ void close_group(hid_t group_id)
     fatal_error("Failed to close group");
 }
 
+void close_object(hid_t obj_id)
+{
+  if (H5Oclose(obj_id) < 0)
+    fatal_error("Failed to close object");
+}
+
 int dataset_ndims(hid_t dset)
 {
   hid_t dspace = H5Dget_space(dset);
@@ -394,6 +400,12 @@ hid_t open_group(hid_t group_id, const char* name)
   return H5Gopen(group_id, name, H5P_DEFAULT);
 }
 
+hid_t open_object(hid_t group_id, const std::string& name)
+{
+  ensure_exists(group_id, name.c_str());
+  return H5Oopen(group_id, name.c_str(), H5P_DEFAULT);
+}
+
 void read_attr(hid_t obj_id, const char* name, hid_t mem_type_id, void* buffer)
 {
   hid_t attr = H5Aopen(obj_id, name, H5P_DEFAULT);