diff --git a/src/blocks.F90 b/src/blocks.F90
index 59238b3..6b41ebd 100644
--- a/src/blocks.F90
+++ b/src/blocks.F90
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ module blocks
 
 ! store number of allocated blocks and leafs
 !
-  integer(kind=4)     , save :: nblocks, dblocks, nleafs
+  integer(kind=4)     , save :: mblocks, dblocks, nleafs
 
 ! the effective resolution at all levels
 !
@@ -183,24 +183,14 @@ module blocks
 !
 !-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 !
-! check if metadata list is empty
-!
-    if (associated(list_meta)) &
-      call print_warning("blocks::init_blocks", "Block metadata list is already associated!")
-
-! check if data list is empty
-!
-    if (associated(list_data)) &
-      call print_warning("blocks::init_blocks", "Block data list is already associated!")
-
-! nullify all pointers
+! nullify list pointers
 !
     nullify(list_meta)
     nullify(list_data)
 
-! reset number of blocks and leafs
+! reset the number of meta and data blocks, and leafs
 !
-    nblocks = 0
+    mblocks = 0
     dblocks = 0
     nleafs  = 0
 
@@ -218,7 +208,7 @@ module blocks
 !
 !===============================================================================
 !
-  subroutine clear_blocks
+  subroutine clear_blocks()
 
     implicit none
 
@@ -344,7 +334,7 @@ module blocks
 
 ! increase the number of allocated meta blocks
 !
-    nblocks = nblocks + 1
+    mblocks = mblocks + 1
 !
 !-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 !
@@ -474,7 +464,7 @@ module blocks
 
 ! decrease the number of allocated blocks
 !
-      nblocks = nblocks - 1
+      mblocks = mblocks - 1
 
     end if
 !
diff --git a/src/io.F90 b/src/io.F90
index 5f86843..f050890 100644
--- a/src/io.F90
+++ b/src/io.F90
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ module io
 
 ! references to other modules
 !
-    use blocks  , only : ndims, last_id, nblocks, dblocks, nleafs
+    use blocks  , only : ndims, last_id, mblocks, dblocks, nleafs
     use config  , only : nghost, maxlev, xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax, zmin, zmax
     use config  , only : in, jn, kn, rdims
     use error   , only : print_error
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ module io
 !
       call write_attribute_integer_h5(gid, 'ndims'  , ndims)
       call write_attribute_integer_h5(gid, 'last_id', last_id)
-      call write_attribute_integer_h5(gid, 'nblocks', nblocks)
+      call write_attribute_integer_h5(gid, 'mblocks', mblocks)
       call write_attribute_integer_h5(gid, 'dblocks', dblocks)
       call write_attribute_integer_h5(gid, 'nleafs' , nleafs)
       call write_attribute_integer_h5(gid, 'nghost' , nghost)
@@ -711,7 +711,7 @@ module io
 ! references to other modules
 !
     use blocks  , only : block_meta, list_meta
-    use blocks  , only : last_id, nblocks, nchild, ndims, nsides, nfaces
+    use blocks  , only : last_id, mblocks, nchild, ndims, nsides, nfaces
     use error   , only : print_error
     use hdf5    , only : hid_t, hsize_t
     use hdf5    , only : h5gcreate_f, h5gclose_f
@@ -758,13 +758,13 @@ module io
 
 ! prepate dimensions
 !
-      am(1) = nblocks
+      am(1) = mblocks
       cm(1) = last_id
-      dm(1) = nblocks
+      dm(1) = mblocks
       dm(2) = nchild
-      pm(1) = nblocks
+      pm(1) = mblocks
       pm(2) = ndims
-      qm(1) = nblocks
+      qm(1) = mblocks
       qm(2) = ndims
       qm(3) = nsides
       qm(4) = nfaces
diff --git a/src/mesh.F90 b/src/mesh.F90
index e72ddf4..636dba6 100644
--- a/src/mesh.F90
+++ b/src/mesh.F90
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ module mesh
     use config  , only : im, jm, km, xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax, zmin, zmax        &
                        , ncells, maxlev, rdims
     use blocks  , only : block_meta, block_data, list_meta, list_data          &
-                       , init_blocks, clear_blocks, refine_block               &
-                       , deallocate_datablock, nblocks, nleafs, dblocks        &
+                       , init_blocks, refine_block               &
+                       , deallocate_datablock, mblocks, nleafs, dblocks        &
                        , nchild, ndims, nsides, nfaces, res
     use error   , only : print_info, print_error
     use mpitools, only : is_master, ncpu, ncpus
@@ -74,17 +74,9 @@ module mesh
 
 !-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 !
-! check if the list is allocated, if yes deallocate it
-!
-    if (associated(list_meta)) then
-      call print_info("mesh::init_mesh", "Block list is allocated, deallocate it!")
-
-      call clear_blocks
-    end if
-
 ! initialize blocks
 !
-    call init_blocks
+    call init_blocks()
 
 ! allocate the effective resolution array
 !
@@ -156,7 +148,7 @@ module mesh
 ! if there is only one block, and it is set not to be refined, refine it anyway
 ! because the resolution for the problem initiation may be too small
 !
-            if (nblocks .eq. 1 .and. l .eq. 1) &
+            if (mblocks .eq. 1 .and. l .eq. 1) &
               pdata_block%meta%refine = 1
           end if
 
@@ -333,14 +325,14 @@ module mesh
       p = p * rdims(1) * rdims(2) * rdims(3)
       k = k * rdims(1) * rdims(2) * rdims(3)
 
-      i = nint(alog10(1.0*nblocks + 1)) + 1
+      i = nint(alog10(1.0*mblocks + 1)) + 1
       j = nint(alog10(1.0*p + 1)) + 1
 
       write(fmt, "(a,i1,a,i1,a)") "(4x,a,1x,i", i, ",' / ',i", j, ",' = ',f8.4,' %')"
 
       write(*,*)
       write(*,fmt) "leafs    /cover blocks  =", nleafs , k, (100.0 * nleafs ) / k
-      write(*,fmt) "allocated/total blocks  =", nblocks, p, (100.0 * nblocks) / p
+      write(*,fmt) "allocated/total blocks  =", mblocks, p, (100.0 * mblocks) / p
     end if
 
 ! allocating space for coordinate variables