diff --git a/src/base/application.cpp b/src/base/application.cpp
index f4db4d52c..0201480c0 100644
--- a/src/base/application.cpp
+++ b/src/base/application.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ static std::mutex xml_mutex;
 
 static int get_modified_time(const std::string& path) {
 #ifdef _WIN32
-    HANDLE hFile = CreateFile(path.c_str(), GENERIC_READ, FILE_SHARE_WRITE,
+    HANDLE hFile = CreateFile(path.c_str(), NULL, NULL,
                               NULL, OPEN_EXISTING, 0, NULL);
     if (hFile == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE) {
         throw CanteraError("get_modified_time", "Couldn't open file:" + path);