diff --git a/Modules/bfgs_module.f90 b/Modules/bfgs_module.f90
index f376a2116..1a641f212 100644
--- a/Modules/bfgs_module.f90
+++ b/Modules/bfgs_module.f90
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ MODULE bfgs_module
    !
    !
    USE kinds,     ONLY : DP
-   USE io_files,  ONLY : iunbfgs, prefix
    USE constants, ONLY : eps4, eps8, eps16, RYTOEV
    USE cell_base, ONLY : iforceh      ! FIXME: should be passed as argument
    !
@@ -63,7 +62,10 @@ MODULE bfgs_module
    !
    SAVE
    !
-   CHARACTER (len=18) :: fname="energy" ! name of the function to be minimized
+   CHARACTER (len=18) :: fname="energy"
+   !! name of the function to be minimized
+   CHARACTER (len=256):: bfgs_file=" "
+   !! name of file (with path) used to store and retrieve the status
    !
    REAL(DP), ALLOCATABLE :: &
       pos(:),            &! positions + cell
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@ CONTAINS
    END SUBROUTINE init_bfgs
    !------------------------------------------------------------------------
    !
-   SUBROUTINE bfgs( pos_in, h, nelec, energy, grad_in, fcell, felec, scratch, &
+   SUBROUTINE bfgs( filebfgs, pos_in, h, nelec, energy, grad_in, fcell, felec, &
                  energy_thr, grad_thr, cell_thr, fcp_thr, energy_error, grad_error,     &
                  cell_error, fcp_error, lmovecell, lfcp, fcp_cap, &
                  step_accepted, stop_bfgs, istep )
@@ -153,10 +155,10 @@ CONTAINS
       !
       ! ... list of input/output arguments :
       !
+      !  filebfgs       : file name for storing and retrieving data
       !  pos            : vector containing 3N coordinates of the system ( x )
       !  energy         : energy of the system ( V(x) )
       !  grad           : vector containing 3N components of grad( V(x) )
-      !  scratch        : scratch directory
       !  energy_thr     : treshold on energy difference for BFGS convergence
       !  grad_thr       : treshold on grad difference for BFGS convergence
       !                    the largest component of grad( V(x) ) is considered
@@ -178,7 +180,7 @@ CONTAINS
       REAL(DP),         INTENT(INOUT) :: grad_in(:)
       REAL(DP),         INTENT(INOUT) :: fcell(3,3)
       REAL(DP),         INTENT(INOUT) :: felec ! force on FCP
-      CHARACTER(LEN=*), INTENT(IN)    :: scratch
+      CHARACTER(LEN=*), INTENT(IN)    :: filebfgs
       REAL(DP),         INTENT(IN)    :: energy_thr, grad_thr, cell_thr, fcp_thr
       LOGICAL,          INTENT(IN)    :: lmovecell
       LOGICAL,          INTENT(IN)    :: lfcp ! include FCP, or not ?
@@ -197,6 +199,7 @@ CONTAINS
       INTEGER, PARAMETER :: NADD = 9 + 1
       !
       !
+      IF ( bfgs_file == " ") bfgs_file = TRIM(filebfgs)
       lwolfe=.false.
       n = SIZE( pos_in ) + NADD
       nat = size (pos_in) / 3
@@ -270,7 +273,7 @@ CONTAINS
       IF ( lmovecell ) fname="enthalpy"
       IF ( lfcp ) fname = "grand-" // TRIM(fname)
       !
-      CALL read_bfgs_file( pos, grad, energy, scratch, n, lfcp, fcp_cap )
+      CALL read_bfgs_file( pos, grad, energy, n, lfcp, fcp_cap )
       !
       scf_iter = scf_iter + 1
       istep    = scf_iter
@@ -501,7 +504,7 @@ CONTAINS
       ! ... information required by next iteration is saved here ( this must
       ! ... be done before positions are updated )
       !
-      CALL write_bfgs_file( pos, energy, grad, scratch )
+      CALL write_bfgs_file( pos, energy, grad )
       !
       ! ... positions and cell are updated
       !
@@ -671,33 +674,30 @@ CONTAINS
    END SUBROUTINE reset_bfgs
    !
    !------------------------------------------------------------------------
-   SUBROUTINE read_bfgs_file( pos, grad, energy, scratch, n, lfcp, fcp_cap )
+   SUBROUTINE read_bfgs_file( pos, grad, energy, n, lfcp, fcp_cap )
       !------------------------------------------------------------------------
       !
       IMPLICIT NONE
       !
       REAL(DP),         INTENT(INOUT) :: pos(:)
       REAL(DP),         INTENT(INOUT) :: grad(:)
-      CHARACTER(LEN=*), INTENT(IN)    :: scratch
       INTEGER,          INTENT(IN)    :: n
       LOGICAL,          INTENT(IN)    :: lfcp
       REAL(DP),         INTENT(IN)    :: fcp_cap
       REAL(DP),         INTENT(INOUT) :: energy
       !
-      CHARACTER(LEN=256) :: bfgs_file
+      INTEGER            :: iunbfgs
       LOGICAL            :: file_exists
       REAL(DP)           :: helec
       !
       !
-      bfgs_file = TRIM( scratch ) // TRIM( prefix ) // '.bfgs'
-      !
-      INQUIRE( FILE = TRIM( bfgs_file ) , EXIST = file_exists )
+      INQUIRE( FILE = bfgs_file, EXIST = file_exists )
       !
       IF ( file_exists ) THEN
          !
          ! ... bfgs is restarted from file
          !
-         OPEN( UNIT = iunbfgs, FILE = TRIM( bfgs_file ), &
+         OPEN( NEWUNIT = iunbfgs, FILE = bfgs_file, &
                STATUS = 'UNKNOWN', ACTION = 'READ' )
          !
          READ( iunbfgs, * ) pos_p
@@ -767,7 +767,7 @@ CONTAINS
    END SUBROUTINE read_bfgs_file
    !
    !------------------------------------------------------------------------
-   SUBROUTINE write_bfgs_file( pos, energy, grad, scratch )
+   SUBROUTINE write_bfgs_file( pos, energy, grad )
       !------------------------------------------------------------------------
       !
       IMPLICIT NONE
@@ -775,11 +775,10 @@ CONTAINS
       REAL(DP),         INTENT(IN) :: pos(:)
       REAL(DP),         INTENT(IN) :: energy
       REAL(DP),         INTENT(IN) :: grad(:)
-      CHARACTER(LEN=*), INTENT(IN) :: scratch
       !
+      INTEGER :: iunbfgs
       !
-      OPEN( UNIT = iunbfgs, FILE = TRIM( scratch )//TRIM( prefix )//'.bfgs', &
-            STATUS = 'UNKNOWN', ACTION = 'WRITE' )
+      OPEN( NEWUNIT = iunbfgs, FILE = bfgs_file, STATUS = 'UNKNOWN', ACTION = 'WRITE' )
       !
       WRITE( iunbfgs, * ) pos
       WRITE( iunbfgs, * ) grad
@@ -1035,7 +1034,7 @@ CONTAINS
    !
    !------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SUBROUTINE terminate_bfgs( energy, energy_thr, grad_thr, cell_thr, fcp_thr, &
-                              lmovecell, lfcp, scratch )
+                              lmovecell, lfcp )
       !------------------------------------------------------------------------
       !
       USE io_files, ONLY : delete_if_present
@@ -1043,7 +1042,6 @@ CONTAINS
       IMPLICIT NONE
       REAL(DP),         INTENT(IN) :: energy, energy_thr, grad_thr, cell_thr, fcp_thr
       LOGICAL,          INTENT(IN) :: lmovecell, lfcp
-      CHARACTER(LEN=*), INTENT(IN) :: scratch
       !
       IF ( conv_bfgs ) THEN
          !
@@ -1070,7 +1068,8 @@ CONTAINS
          WRITE( UNIT = stdout, &
               & FMT = '(/,5X,"Final ",A," = ",F18.10," Ry")' ) fname, energy
          !
-         CALL delete_if_present( TRIM( scratch ) // TRIM( prefix ) // '.bfgs' )
+         CALL delete_if_present( bfgs_file )
+         bfgs_file = " "
          !
       ELSE
          !
diff --git a/PW/src/move_ions.f90 b/PW/src/move_ions.f90
index 21d2c368f..fdc190841 100644
--- a/PW/src/move_ions.f90
+++ b/PW/src/move_ions.f90
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ SUBROUTINE move_ions( idone, ions_status )
   !
   USE constants,              ONLY : e2, eps6, ry_kbar
   USE io_global,              ONLY : stdout
-  USE io_files,               ONLY : tmp_dir
+  USE io_files,               ONLY : tmp_dir, prefix
   USE kinds,                  ONLY : DP
   USE cell_base,              ONLY : alat, at, bg, omega, cell_force, &
                                      fix_volume, fix_area, ibrav, press, &
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ SUBROUTINE move_ions( idone, ions_status )
   REAL(DP)              :: h(3,3), fcell(3,3)=0.d0, epsp1
   REAL(DP)              :: relec, felec, capacitance, tot_charge_
   LOGICAL               :: conv_ions
+  CHARACTER(LEN=256)    :: filebfgs
   !
   ! ... only one node does the calculation in the parallel case
   !
@@ -117,7 +118,8 @@ SUBROUTINE move_ions( idone, ions_status )
         !
         IF ( ANY( if_pos(:,:) == 1 ) .OR. lmovecell .OR. lfcp ) THEN
            !
-           CALL bfgs( pos, h, relec, etot, grad, fcell, felec, tmp_dir, epse, &
+           filebfgs = TRIM(tmp_dir) // TRIM(prefix) // '.bfgs'
+           CALL bfgs( filebfgs, pos, h, relec, etot, grad, fcell, felec, epse, &
                       epsf, epsp1, fcp_eps, energy_error, gradient_error, cell_error, fcp_error, &
                       lmovecell, lfcp, capacitance, step_accepted, conv_ions, istep )
            !
@@ -197,7 +199,7 @@ SUBROUTINE move_ions( idone, ions_status )
               IF ( ANY( if_pos(:,:) == 1 ) .OR. lmovecell .OR. lfcp ) THEN
                  !
                  CALL terminate_bfgs ( etot, epse, epsf, epsp, fcp_eps, &
-                                       lmovecell, lfcp, tmp_dir )
+                                       lmovecell, lfcp )
                  !
               END IF
               !
@@ -206,7 +208,7 @@ SUBROUTINE move_ions( idone, ions_status )
         ELSEIF ( idone == nstep ) THEN
            !
            CALL terminate_bfgs( etot, epse, epsf, epsp, fcp_eps, &
-                                lmovecell, lfcp, tmp_dir )
+                                lmovecell, lfcp )
            !
         ELSE
            !