diff --git a/mlprec/mld_c_prec_type.f90 b/mlprec/mld_c_prec_type.f90
index cf188349..3918de01 100644
--- a/mlprec/mld_c_prec_type.f90
+++ b/mlprec/mld_c_prec_type.f90
@@ -755,18 +755,19 @@ contains
 
     implicit none 
     class(mld_cprec_type), intent(inout) :: prec
-    class(psb_cprec_type), intent(out)   :: precout
+    class(psb_cprec_type), intent(inout) :: precout
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)       :: info
     
-    call mld_c_inner_clone(prec,precout,info) 
+    call precout%free(info)
+    if (info == 0) call mld_c_inner_clone(prec,precout,info) 
 
   end subroutine mld_c_clone
 
   subroutine mld_c_inner_clone(prec,precout,info)
 
     implicit none 
-    class(mld_cprec_type), intent(inout)       :: prec
-    class(psb_cprec_type), target, intent(out) :: precout
+    class(mld_cprec_type), intent(inout)         :: prec
+    class(psb_cprec_type), target, intent(inout) :: precout
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)             :: info
     ! Local vars
     integer(psb_ipk_)  :: i, j, il1, ln, lname, lev
diff --git a/mlprec/mld_d_prec_type.f90 b/mlprec/mld_d_prec_type.f90
index 56413155..c6933aa4 100644
--- a/mlprec/mld_d_prec_type.f90
+++ b/mlprec/mld_d_prec_type.f90
@@ -755,18 +755,19 @@ contains
 
     implicit none 
     class(mld_dprec_type), intent(inout) :: prec
-    class(psb_dprec_type), intent(out)   :: precout
+    class(psb_dprec_type), intent(inout) :: precout
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)       :: info
     
-    call mld_d_inner_clone(prec,precout,info) 
+    call precout%free(info)
+    if (info == 0) call mld_d_inner_clone(prec,precout,info) 
 
   end subroutine mld_d_clone
 
   subroutine mld_d_inner_clone(prec,precout,info)
 
     implicit none 
-    class(mld_dprec_type), intent(inout)       :: prec
-    class(psb_dprec_type), target, intent(out) :: precout
+    class(mld_dprec_type), intent(inout)         :: prec
+    class(psb_dprec_type), target, intent(inout) :: precout
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)             :: info
     ! Local vars
     integer(psb_ipk_)  :: i, j, il1, ln, lname, lev
diff --git a/mlprec/mld_s_prec_type.f90 b/mlprec/mld_s_prec_type.f90
index b8b68fde..a16f3e1c 100644
--- a/mlprec/mld_s_prec_type.f90
+++ b/mlprec/mld_s_prec_type.f90
@@ -755,18 +755,19 @@ contains
 
     implicit none 
     class(mld_sprec_type), intent(inout) :: prec
-    class(psb_sprec_type), intent(out)   :: precout
+    class(psb_sprec_type), intent(inout) :: precout
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)       :: info
     
-    call mld_s_inner_clone(prec,precout,info) 
+    call precout%free(info)
+    if (info == 0) call mld_s_inner_clone(prec,precout,info) 
 
   end subroutine mld_s_clone
 
   subroutine mld_s_inner_clone(prec,precout,info)
 
     implicit none 
-    class(mld_sprec_type), intent(inout)       :: prec
-    class(psb_sprec_type), target, intent(out) :: precout
+    class(mld_sprec_type), intent(inout)         :: prec
+    class(psb_sprec_type), target, intent(inout) :: precout
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)             :: info
     ! Local vars
     integer(psb_ipk_)  :: i, j, il1, ln, lname, lev
diff --git a/mlprec/mld_z_prec_type.f90 b/mlprec/mld_z_prec_type.f90
index 2c565b3d..b9845db2 100644
--- a/mlprec/mld_z_prec_type.f90
+++ b/mlprec/mld_z_prec_type.f90
@@ -755,18 +755,19 @@ contains
 
     implicit none 
     class(mld_zprec_type), intent(inout) :: prec
-    class(psb_zprec_type), intent(out)   :: precout
+    class(psb_zprec_type), intent(inout) :: precout
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)       :: info
     
-    call mld_z_inner_clone(prec,precout,info) 
+    call precout%free(info)
+    if (info == 0) call mld_z_inner_clone(prec,precout,info) 
 
   end subroutine mld_z_clone
 
   subroutine mld_z_inner_clone(prec,precout,info)
 
     implicit none 
-    class(mld_zprec_type), intent(inout)       :: prec
-    class(psb_zprec_type), target, intent(out) :: precout
+    class(mld_zprec_type), intent(inout)         :: prec
+    class(psb_zprec_type), target, intent(inout) :: precout
     integer(psb_ipk_), intent(out)             :: info
     ! Local vars
     integer(psb_ipk_)  :: i, j, il1, ln, lname, lev