diff --git a/core/src/Model.cpp b/core/src/Model.cpp
index 240a2358a..ec10187cb 100644
--- a/core/src/Model.cpp
+++ b/core/src/Model.cpp
@@ -50,6 +50,31 @@ Model::Model()
 
 Model::~Model() { }
 
+void Model::configureTime()
+{
+    ModelMetadata& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance();
+
+    // Start/stop times. Run length will override stop time, if present.
+    std::string startTimeStr
+        = Configured::getConfiguration(keyMap.at(STARTTIME_KEY), std::string());
+    std::string stopTimeStr = Configured::getConfiguration(keyMap.at(STOPTIME_KEY), std::string());
+    std::string runLengthStr
+        = Configured::getConfiguration(keyMap.at(RUNLENGTH_KEY), std::string());
+    std::string stepStr = Configured::getConfiguration(keyMap.at(TIMESTEP_KEY), std::string());
+
+    if (runLengthStr.empty()) {
+        if (stopTimeStr.empty()) {
+            throw std::invalid_argument(std::string("At least one of ") + keyMap.at(STOPTIME_KEY)
+                + " or " + keyMap.at(RUNLENGTH_KEY) + " must be set");
+        } else {
+            metadata.setTimes(startTimeStr, TimePoint(stopTimeStr), stepStr);
+        }
+    } else {
+        metadata.setTimes(startTimeStr, Duration(runLengthStr), stepStr);
+    }
+    iterator.setStartStopStep(metadata.startTime(), metadata.stopTime(), metadata.stepLength());
+}
+
 void Model::configure()
 {
     // Configure logging
@@ -76,25 +101,7 @@ void Model::configure()
     auto& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance();
 #endif
 
-    // Start/stop times. Run length will override stop time, if present.
-    std::string startTimeStr
-        = Configured::getConfiguration(keyMap.at(STARTTIME_KEY), std::string());
-    std::string stopTimeStr = Configured::getConfiguration(keyMap.at(STOPTIME_KEY), std::string());
-    std::string runLengthStr
-        = Configured::getConfiguration(keyMap.at(RUNLENGTH_KEY), std::string());
-    std::string stepStr = Configured::getConfiguration(keyMap.at(TIMESTEP_KEY), std::string());
-
-    if (runLengthStr.empty()) {
-        if (stopTimeStr.empty()) {
-            throw std::invalid_argument(std::string("At least one of ") + keyMap.at(STOPTIME_KEY)
-                + " or " + keyMap.at(RUNLENGTH_KEY) + " must be set");
-        } else {
-            metadata.setTimes(startTimeStr, TimePoint(stopTimeStr), stepStr);
-        }
-    } else {
-        metadata.setTimes(startTimeStr, Duration(runLengthStr), stepStr);
-    }
-    iterator.setStartStopStep(metadata.startTime(), metadata.stopTime(), metadata.stepLength());
+    configureTime();
 
     ModelState initialState(StructureFactory::stateFromFile(initialFileName));
 
diff --git a/core/src/Xios.cpp b/core/src/Xios.cpp
index eb634a8f1..b0dc2ee63 100644
--- a/core/src/Xios.cpp
+++ b/core/src/Xios.cpp
@@ -121,9 +121,6 @@ bool Xios::doOnce()
     return true;
 }
 
-//! Get the configuration for the XIOS handler
-ConfigMap Xios::getConfig() const { return ConfigMap(); }
-
 Xios::HelpMap& Xios::getHelpText(HelpMap& map, bool getAll)
 {
     map["Xios"] = {
@@ -217,40 +214,6 @@ void Xios::configure()
     istringstream(Configured::getConfiguration(keyMap.at(ENABLED_KEY), std::string()))
         >> std::boolalpha >> isEnabled;
 
-    // Extract the start time from the model configuration
-    // TODO: Deduce from Model.iterator rather than duplicating here?
-    std::string startTimeStr;
-    istringstream(Configured::getConfiguration(keyMap.at(STARTTIME_KEY), std::string()))
-        >> startTimeStr;
-    if (startTimeStr.length() == 0) {
-        Logged::warning("Xios: Setting default start: 1970-01-01T00:00:00Z");
-        startTimeStr = "1970-01-01T00:00:00Z";
-    }
-    startTime = TimePoint(startTimeStr);
-
-    // Extract the timestep from the model configuration
-    // TODO: Deduce from Model.iterator rather than duplicating here?
-    std::string timeStepStr;
-    istringstream(Configured::getConfiguration(keyMap.at(TIME_STEP_KEY), std::string()))
-        >> timeStepStr;
-    if (timeStepStr.length() == 0) {
-        Logged::warning("Xios: Setting default time_step: P0-0T01:00:00");
-        timeStepStr = "P0-0T01:00:00";
-    }
-    timestep = Duration(timeStepStr);
-
-    // Extract the stop time from the model configuration
-    // TODO: Deduce from Model.iterator rather than duplicating here?
-    std::string stopTimeStr;
-    istringstream(Configured::getConfiguration(keyMap.at(STOPTIME_KEY), std::string()))
-        >> stopTimeStr;
-    if (stopTimeStr.length() == 0) {
-        Logged::warning("Xios: Setting default stop: start time plus P0-0T01:00:00");
-        stopTime = startTime + timestep;
-    } else {
-        stopTime = TimePoint(stopTimeStr);
-    }
-
     if (isEnabled) {
         configureServer();
     }
@@ -275,7 +238,9 @@ void Xios::configureServer()
     // Initialize calendar wrapper for 'nextSIM-DG' context
     cxios_get_current_calendar_wrapper(&clientCalendar);
     cxios_set_calendar_wrapper_type(clientCalendar, calendarType.c_str(), calendarType.length());
-    cxios_set_calendar_wrapper_timestep(clientCalendar, convertDurationToXios(timestep));
+    ModelMetadata& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance();
+    cxios_set_calendar_wrapper_timestep(
+        clientCalendar, convertDurationToXios(metadata.stepLength()));
     cxios_create_calendar(clientCalendar);
     cxios_update_calendar_timestep(clientCalendar);
 
@@ -283,7 +248,7 @@ void Xios::configureServer()
     setCalendarOrigin(TimePoint("1970-01-01T00:00:00Z")); // Unix epoch
 
     // Set start time from configuration file
-    setCalendarStart(TimePoint(startTime));
+    setCalendarStart(metadata.startTime());
 }
 
 /*!
@@ -413,17 +378,6 @@ void Xios::setCalendarStart(const TimePoint start)
     cxios_set_calendar_wrapper_date_start_date(clientCalendar, datetime);
 }
 
-/*!
- * Set calendar timestep
- *
- * @param timestep
- */
-void Xios::setCalendarTimestep(const Duration timestep)
-{
-    cxios_set_calendar_wrapper_timestep(clientCalendar, convertDurationToXios(timestep));
-    cxios_update_calendar_timestep(clientCalendar);
-}
-
 /*!
  * Update XIOS calendar iteration/step number to some value
  *
@@ -1412,7 +1366,8 @@ void Xios::createFile(const std::string fileId)
         // TODO: Account for diagnostics (#917)
     }
     if (periodStr.length() == 0 || periodStr == "0") {
-        setFileOutputFreq(fileId, stopTime - startTime);
+        ModelMetadata& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance();
+        setFileOutputFreq(fileId, metadata.runLength());
     } else {
         setFileOutputFreq(fileId, Duration(periodStr));
     }
diff --git a/core/src/include/Model.hpp b/core/src/include/Model.hpp
index 3072f16b4..e5c2d1764 100644
--- a/core/src/include/Model.hpp
+++ b/core/src/include/Model.hpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ class Model : public Configured<Model> {
              // environment and configuration to the model
     ~Model(); // Finalize the model. Collect data and so on.
 
+    void configureTime();
     void configure() override;
 
     enum {
diff --git a/core/src/include/Xios.hpp b/core/src/include/Xios.hpp
index 2eb7c1162..8ba44c347 100644
--- a/core/src/include/Xios.hpp
+++ b/core/src/include/Xios.hpp
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ class Xios : public Configured<Xios> {
     };
 
     /* Help config */
-    ConfigMap getConfig() const;
     static HelpMap& getHelpText(HelpMap& map, bool getAll);
     static HelpMap& getHelpRecursive(HelpMap& map, bool getAll);
 
@@ -78,7 +77,6 @@ class Xios : public Configured<Xios> {
     void setCalendarType(const std::string type);
     void setCalendarOrigin(const TimePoint origin);
     void setCalendarStart(const TimePoint start);
-    void setCalendarTimestep(const Duration timestep);
     void setCalendarStep(const int stepNumber);
     void incrementCalendar();
     std::string getCalendarType();
@@ -168,9 +166,6 @@ class Xios : public Configured<Xios> {
 
     /* Calendar, date and duration */
     std::string calendarType;
-    Duration timestep;
-    TimePoint startTime;
-    TimePoint stopTime;
     xios::CCalendarWrapper* clientCalendar;
     std::string convertXiosDatetimeToString(const cxios_date datetime, const bool isoFormat = true);
     cxios_date convertStringToXiosDatetime(const std::string datetime, const bool isoFormat = true);
diff --git a/core/src/include/indexer.hpp b/core/src/include/indexer.hpp
index b03bea186..663779f4b 100644
--- a/core/src/include/indexer.hpp
+++ b/core/src/include/indexer.hpp
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ namespace Indexer {
 /*!
  * @brief Produces a one-dimensional index of an array given a multi-dimensional location.
  *
- * @detail Given the dimensions of a mulit-dimensional array and a vector of positions across those
+ * @details Given the dimensions of a mulit-dimensional array and a vector of positions across those
  * dimensions, this function returns the corresponding index of that location within the flattened,
  * one-dimensional representation of the array, as it would typically be stored in memory, or when
  * a multi-dimensional spatial array is flattened into a single logical dimension.
diff --git a/core/test/CMakeLists.txt b/core/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 6b0eb2c60..20cbb0bd0 100644
--- a/core/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/core/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -136,6 +136,13 @@ if(ENABLE_MPI)
             DEPENDS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/xios_test_mask.cdl
         )
         add_custom_target(generate_xios_masks ALL DEPENDS xios_test_mask.nc)
+        add_custom_command(
+            OUTPUT xios_test_partition_metadata_1.nc
+            COMMAND
+                ${MPIEXEC_EXECUTABLE} ${MPIEXEC_NUMPROC_FLAG} 1 decomp -m mask -o xy
+                    -g xios_test_mask.nc --output-prefix xios_test
+            DEPENDS xios_test_mask.nc
+        )
         add_custom_command(
             OUTPUT xios_test_partition_metadata_2.nc
             COMMAND
@@ -143,15 +150,29 @@ if(ENABLE_MPI)
                     -g xios_test_mask.nc --output-prefix xios_test
             DEPENDS xios_test_mask.nc
         )
+        add_custom_command(
+            OUTPUT xios_test_partition_metadata_3.nc
+            COMMAND
+                ${MPIEXEC_EXECUTABLE} ${MPIEXEC_NUMPROC_FLAG} 3 decomp -m mask -o xy
+                    -g xios_test_mask.nc --output-prefix xios_test
+            DEPENDS xios_test_mask.nc
+        )
         add_custom_target(generate_xios_partition_metadata ALL
-            DEPENDS xios_test_partition_metadata_2.nc
+            DEPENDS
+                xios_test_partition_metadata_1.nc
+                xios_test_partition_metadata_2.nc
+                xios_test_partition_metadata_3.nc
         )
 
         add_executable(testXiosCalendar_MPI1 "XiosCalendar_test.cpp" "MainMPI.cpp")
         target_compile_definitions(testXiosCalendar_MPI1 PRIVATE USE_XIOS)
         target_include_directories(
             testXiosCalendar_MPI1
-            PRIVATE "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}" "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}" "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
+            PRIVATE
+                ${PHYSICS_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+                "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}"
+                "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}"
+                "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
         )
         target_link_libraries(testXiosCalendar_MPI1 PRIVATE nextsimlib doctest::doctest)
 
@@ -159,7 +180,11 @@ if(ENABLE_MPI)
         target_compile_definitions(testXiosAxis_MPI3 PRIVATE USE_XIOS)
         target_include_directories(
             testXiosAxis_MPI3
-            PRIVATE "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}" "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}" "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
+            PRIVATE
+                ${PHYSICS_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+                "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}"
+                "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}"
+                "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
         )
         target_link_libraries(testXiosAxis_MPI3 PRIVATE nextsimlib doctest::doctest)
 
@@ -167,7 +192,11 @@ if(ENABLE_MPI)
         target_compile_definitions(testXiosGrid_MPI2 PRIVATE USE_XIOS)
         target_include_directories(
             testXiosGrid_MPI2
-            PRIVATE "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}" "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}" "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
+            PRIVATE
+                ${PHYSICS_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+                "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}"
+                "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}"
+                "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
         )
         target_link_libraries(testXiosGrid_MPI2 PRIVATE nextsimlib doctest::doctest)
 
@@ -175,7 +204,11 @@ if(ENABLE_MPI)
         target_compile_definitions(testXiosField_MPI3 PRIVATE USE_XIOS)
         target_include_directories(
             testXiosField_MPI3
-            PRIVATE "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}" "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}" "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
+            PRIVATE
+                ${PHYSICS_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+                "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}"
+                "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}"
+                "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
         )
         target_link_libraries(testXiosField_MPI3 PRIVATE nextsimlib doctest::doctest)
 
@@ -183,7 +216,11 @@ if(ENABLE_MPI)
         target_compile_definitions(testXiosFile_MPI2 PRIVATE USE_XIOS)
         target_include_directories(
             testXiosFile_MPI2
-            PRIVATE "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}" "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}" "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
+            PRIVATE
+                ${PHYSICS_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+                "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}"
+                "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}"
+                "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
         )
         target_link_libraries(testXiosFile_MPI2 PRIVATE nextsimlib doctest::doctest)
 
@@ -195,7 +232,11 @@ if(ENABLE_MPI)
         )
         target_include_directories(
             testXiosRead_MPI2
-            PRIVATE "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}" "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}" "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
+            PRIVATE
+                ${PHYSICS_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+                "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}"
+                "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}"
+                "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
         )
         target_link_libraries(testXiosRead_MPI2 PRIVATE nextsimlib doctest::doctest)
 
@@ -203,7 +244,11 @@ if(ENABLE_MPI)
         target_compile_definitions(testXiosWrite_MPI2 PRIVATE USE_XIOS)
         target_include_directories(
             testXiosWrite_MPI2
-            PRIVATE "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}" "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}" "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
+            PRIVATE
+                ${PHYSICS_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+                "${MODEL_INCLUDE_DIR}"
+                "${XIOS_INCLUDE_LIST}"
+                "${ModulesRoot}/StructureModule"
         )
         target_link_libraries(testXiosWrite_MPI2 PRIVATE nextsimlib doctest::doctest)
 
diff --git a/core/test/XiosAxis_test.cpp b/core/test/XiosAxis_test.cpp
index 0c57f4571..6c5175cff 100644
--- a/core/test/XiosAxis_test.cpp
+++ b/core/test/XiosAxis_test.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 
 #include "StructureModule/include/ParametricGrid.hpp"
 #include "include/Finalizer.hpp"
+#include "include/Model.hpp"
+#include "include/ModelMPI.hpp"
 #include "include/Xios.hpp"
 
 namespace Nextsim {
@@ -26,7 +28,23 @@ namespace Nextsim {
  */
 MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosAxis", 3)
 {
+    // Enable XIOS in the 'config' and provide parameters to configure it
     enableXios();
+    std::stringstream config;
+    config << "[model]" << std::endl;
+    config << "start = 2023-03-17T17:11:00Z" << std::endl;
+    config << "stop = 2023-03-17T18:11:00Z" << std::endl;
+    config << "time_step = P0-0T01:00:00" << std::endl;
+    std::unique_ptr<std::istream> pcstream(new std::stringstream(config.str()));
+    Configurator::addStream(std::move(pcstream));
+
+    // Create ModelMetadata instance based off a partition metadata file
+    auto& modelMPI = ModelMPI::getInstance(test_comm);
+    auto& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance("xios_test_partition_metadata_3.nc");
+
+    // Create a Model and configure it so that time options are parsed
+    Model model;
+    model.configureTime();
 
     // Get the Xios singleton instance and check it's initialized
     Xios& xiosHandler = Xios::getInstance();
diff --git a/core/test/XiosCalendar_test.cpp b/core/test/XiosCalendar_test.cpp
index 593b99402..e3f495696 100644
--- a/core/test/XiosCalendar_test.cpp
+++ b/core/test/XiosCalendar_test.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 #include "StructureModule/include/ParametricGrid.hpp"
 #include "include/Configurator.hpp"
 #include "include/Finalizer.hpp"
+#include "include/Model.hpp"
+#include "include/ModelMPI.hpp"
 #include "include/Xios.hpp"
 
 namespace Nextsim {
@@ -32,10 +34,19 @@ MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosCalendar", 1)
     std::stringstream config;
     config << "[model]" << std::endl;
     config << "start = 2023-03-17T17:11:00Z" << std::endl;
+    config << "stop = 2023-03-17T18:11:00Z" << std::endl;
     config << "time_step = P0-0T01:00:00" << std::endl;
     std::unique_ptr<std::istream> pcstream(new std::stringstream(config.str()));
     Configurator::addStream(std::move(pcstream));
 
+    // Create ModelMetadata instance based off a partition metadata file
+    auto& modelMPI = ModelMPI::getInstance(test_comm);
+    auto& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance("xios_test_partition_metadata_1.nc");
+
+    // Create a Model and configure it so that time options are parsed
+    Model model;
+    model.configureTime();
+
     // Get the Xios singleton instance and check it's initialized
     Xios& xiosHandler = Xios::getInstance();
     REQUIRE(xiosHandler.isInitialized());
@@ -57,11 +68,7 @@ MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosCalendar", 1)
     REQUIRE(start == xiosHandler.getCalendarStart());
     REQUIRE(start.format() == "2023-03-17T17:11:00Z");
     // Timestep
-    REQUIRE(xiosHandler.getCalendarTimestep().seconds() == 3600.0); // Default
-    Duration timestep("P0-0T01:30:00");
-    REQUIRE(timestep.seconds() == 5400.0);
-    xiosHandler.setCalendarTimestep(timestep);
-    REQUIRE(xiosHandler.getCalendarTimestep().seconds() == 5400.0);
+    REQUIRE(xiosHandler.getCalendarTimestep().seconds() == 3600.0); // Read from config
 
     xiosHandler.close_context_definition();
 
@@ -72,7 +79,7 @@ MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosCalendar", 1)
     // -- Tests that the timestep is set up correctly
     xiosHandler.setCalendarStep(1);
     REQUIRE(xiosHandler.getCalendarStep() == 1);
-    REQUIRE(xiosHandler.getCurrentDate().format() == "2023-03-17T18:41:00Z");
+    REQUIRE(xiosHandler.getCurrentDate().format() == "2023-03-17T18:11:00Z");
 
     xiosHandler.context_finalize();
     Finalizer::finalize();
diff --git a/core/test/XiosField_test.cpp b/core/test/XiosField_test.cpp
index ed5b0e985..29d8d937c 100644
--- a/core/test/XiosField_test.cpp
+++ b/core/test/XiosField_test.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 
 #include "StructureModule/include/ParametricGrid.hpp"
 #include "include/Finalizer.hpp"
+#include "include/Model.hpp"
+#include "include/ModelMPI.hpp"
 #include "include/Xios.hpp"
 
 namespace Nextsim {
@@ -29,6 +31,10 @@ MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosField", 3)
     // Enable XIOS in the 'config' and provide parameters to configure it
     enableXios();
     std::stringstream config;
+    config << "[model]" << std::endl;
+    config << "start = 2023-03-17T17:11:00Z" << std::endl;
+    config << "stop = 2023-03-17T18:11:00Z" << std::endl;
+    config << "time_step = P0-0T01:00:00" << std::endl;
     config << "[XiosOutput]" << std::endl;
     config << "period = P0-0T03:00:00" << std::endl;
     config << "filename = xios_test_output" << std::endl;
@@ -36,6 +42,14 @@ MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosField", 3)
     std::unique_ptr<std::istream> pcstream(new std::stringstream(config.str()));
     Configurator::addStream(std::move(pcstream));
 
+    // Create ModelMetadata instance based off a partition metadata file
+    auto& modelMPI = ModelMPI::getInstance(test_comm);
+    auto& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance("xios_test_partition_metadata_3.nc");
+
+    // Create a Model and configure it so that time options are parsed
+    Model model;
+    model.configureTime();
+
     // Get the Xios singleton instance and check it's initialized
     Xios& xiosHandler = Xios::getInstance();
     REQUIRE(xiosHandler.isInitialized());
diff --git a/core/test/XiosFile_test.cpp b/core/test/XiosFile_test.cpp
index f183a156c..c5279dc72 100644
--- a/core/test/XiosFile_test.cpp
+++ b/core/test/XiosFile_test.cpp
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
 #include "StructureModule/include/ParametricGrid.hpp"
 #include "include/Configurator.hpp"
 #include "include/Finalizer.hpp"
+#include "include/Model.hpp"
 #include "include/ModelMPI.hpp"
-#include "include/ModelMetadata.hpp"
 #include "include/Xios.hpp"
 
 using namespace doctest;
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosFile", 2)
     std::stringstream config;
     config << "[model]" << std::endl;
     config << "start = 2023-03-17T17:11:00Z" << std::endl;
+    config << "stop = 2023-03-17T18:41:00Z" << std::endl;
     config << "time_step = P0-0T01:30:00" << std::endl;
     config << "[XiosInput]" << std::endl;
     config << "period = P0-0T03:00:00" << std::endl;
@@ -52,9 +53,12 @@ MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosFile", 2)
     auto& modelMPI = ModelMPI::getInstance(test_comm);
     auto& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance("xios_test_partition_metadata_2.nc");
 
+    // Create a Model and configure it so that time options are parsed
+    Model model;
+    model.configureTime(); // TODO: Use Model.configure to parse restart files this way, too?
+
     // Get the Xios singleton instance and check it's initialized
     Xios& xiosHandler = Xios::getInstance();
-    xiosHandler.affixModelMetadata();
     REQUIRE(xiosHandler.isInitialized());
     REQUIRE(xiosHandler.getClientMPISize() == 2);
 
@@ -63,6 +67,10 @@ MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosFile", 2)
     xiosHandler.setFieldType("mask", ModelArray::Type::H);
     xiosHandler.setFieldType("hice", ModelArray::Type::DG);
 
+    // Affix ModelMetadata to Xios handler
+    // TODO: Automate this - can't be inlined in Xios::getInstance because need set field types
+    xiosHandler.affixModelMetadata();
+
     // --- Tests for file API
     const std::string inFileId = "xios_test_input";
     const std::string outFileId = "xios_test_output";
diff --git a/core/test/XiosGrid_test.cpp b/core/test/XiosGrid_test.cpp
index baed00c44..ab79d93db 100644
--- a/core/test/XiosGrid_test.cpp
+++ b/core/test/XiosGrid_test.cpp
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
 #undef INFO
 
 #include "include/Finalizer.hpp"
+#include "include/Model.hpp"
 #include "include/ModelMPI.hpp"
-#include "include/ModelMetadata.hpp"
 #include "include/Xios.hpp"
 
 namespace Nextsim {
@@ -27,18 +27,33 @@ namespace Nextsim {
  */
 MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosGrid", 2)
 {
+    // Enable XIOS in the 'config' and provide parameters to configure it
     enableXios();
+    std::stringstream config;
+    config << "[model]" << std::endl;
+    config << "start = 2023-03-17T17:11:00Z" << std::endl;
+    config << "stop = 2023-03-17T18:11:00Z" << std::endl;
+    config << "time_step = P0-0T01:00:00" << std::endl;
+    std::unique_ptr<std::istream> pcstream(new std::stringstream(config.str()));
+    Configurator::addStream(std::move(pcstream));
 
     // Create ModelMetadata instance based off a partition metadata file
     auto& modelMPI = ModelMPI::getInstance(test_comm);
     auto& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance("xios_test_partition_metadata_2.nc");
 
+    // Create a Model and configure it so that time options are parsed
+    Model model;
+    model.configureTime();
+
     // Get the Xios singleton instance and check it's initialized
     Xios& xiosHandler = Xios::getInstance();
-    xiosHandler.affixModelMetadata();
     REQUIRE(xiosHandler.isInitialized());
     REQUIRE(xiosHandler.getClientMPISize() == 2);
 
+    // Affix ModelMetadata to Xios handler
+    // TODO: Automate this - can't be inlined in Xios::getInstance because need set field types
+    xiosHandler.affixModelMetadata();
+
     const std::string gridId = "HGrid";
     REQUIRE_THROWS_WITH(xiosHandler.createGrid(gridId), "Xios: Grid 'HGrid' already exists");
 
diff --git a/core/test/XiosRead_test.cpp b/core/test/XiosRead_test.cpp
index 0515c4a89..45d26fbca 100644
--- a/core/test/XiosRead_test.cpp
+++ b/core/test/XiosRead_test.cpp
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
 
 #include "StructureModule/include/ParametricGrid.hpp"
 #include "include/Finalizer.hpp"
+#include "include/Model.hpp"
 #include "include/ModelMPI.hpp"
-#include "include/ModelMetadata.hpp"
 #include "include/NextsimModule.hpp"
 #include "include/ParaGridIO.hpp"
 #include "include/Xios.hpp"
@@ -53,6 +53,14 @@ MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosRead", 2)
     std::unique_ptr<std::istream> pcstream(new std::stringstream(config.str()));
     Configurator::addStream(std::move(pcstream));
 
+    // Create ModelMetadata instance based off a partition metadata file
+    auto& modelMPI = ModelMPI::getInstance(test_comm);
+    auto& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance("xios_test_partition_metadata_2.nc");
+
+    // Create a Model and configure it so that time options are parsed
+    Model model;
+    model.configureTime(); // TODO: Use Model.configure to parse restart files this way, too?
+
     // Create ParametricGrid and ParaGridIO instances
     Module::setImplementation<IStructure>("Nextsim::ParametricGrid");
     ParametricGrid grid;
@@ -70,10 +78,8 @@ MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosRead", 2)
     REQUIRE(ModelArray::nComponents(ModelArray::Type::DG) == DG);
     REQUIRE(ModelArray::nComponents(ModelArray::Type::VERTEX) == ModelArray::nCoords);
 
-    // Create ModelMetadata instance based off a partition metadata file
-    // NOTE: ModelArray dimensions are determined from the input file, if present
-    ModelMPI& modelMPI = ModelMPI::getInstance(test_comm);
-    ModelMetadata& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance("xios_test_partition_metadata_2.nc");
+    // Affix ModelMetadata to Xios handler
+    // TODO: Automate this - can't be inlined in Xios::getInstance because need set field types
     xiosHandler.affixModelMetadata();
 
     xiosHandler.close_context_definition();
diff --git a/core/test/XiosWrite_test.cpp b/core/test/XiosWrite_test.cpp
index b9d5d8ed9..799586a32 100644
--- a/core/test/XiosWrite_test.cpp
+++ b/core/test/XiosWrite_test.cpp
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
 
 #include "StructureModule/include/ParametricGrid.hpp"
 #include "include/Finalizer.hpp"
+#include "include/Model.hpp"
 #include "include/ModelMPI.hpp"
-#include "include/ModelMetadata.hpp"
 #include "include/NextsimModule.hpp"
 #include "include/ParaGridIO.hpp"
 #include "include/Xios.hpp"
@@ -45,6 +45,14 @@ MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosWrite", 2)
     std::unique_ptr<std::istream> pcstream(new std::stringstream(config.str()));
     Configurator::addStream(std::move(pcstream));
 
+    // Create ModelMetadata instance based off a partition metadata file
+    auto& modelMPI = ModelMPI::getInstance(test_comm);
+    auto& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance("xios_test_partition_metadata_2.nc");
+
+    // Create a Model and configure it so that time options are parsed
+    Model model;
+    model.configureTime(); // TODO: Use Model.configure to parse restart files this way, too?
+
     // Create ParametricGrid and ParaGridIO instances
     Module::setImplementation<IStructure>("Nextsim::ParametricGrid");
     ParametricGrid grid;
@@ -70,9 +78,8 @@ MPI_TEST_CASE("TestXiosWrite", 2)
     REQUIRE(ModelArray::nComponents(ModelArray::Type::DG) == DG);
     REQUIRE(ModelArray::nComponents(ModelArray::Type::VERTEX) == ModelArray::nCoords);
 
-    // Create ModelMetadata instance based off a partition metadata file
-    ModelMPI& modelMPI = ModelMPI::getInstance(test_comm);
-    ModelMetadata& metadata = ModelMetadata::getInstance("xios_test_partition_metadata_2.nc");
+    // Affix ModelMetadata to Xios handler
+    // TODO: Automate this - can't be inlined in Xios::getInstance because need set field types
     xiosHandler.affixModelMetadata();
 
     // Set field types
diff --git a/docs/xios.rst b/docs/xios.rst
index e9a5ffa01..7c1ec3888 100644
--- a/docs/xios.rst
+++ b/docs/xios.rst
@@ -27,13 +27,14 @@ build nextSIM-DG with XIOS as the I/O driver.
   [xios]
   enable = true
 
-The ``model`` section, which is used elsewhere in nextSIM-DG, contains two
-entries relevant to XIOS: ``start`` and ``time_step``. These are used to
-configure the calendar used by XIOS and take the following default values.
+The ``model`` section, which is used elsewhere in nextSIM-DG, contains three
+entries relevant to XIOS: ``start``, ``stop``, and ``time_step``. These are
+used to configure the calendar used by XIOS. For example,
 
 .. code-block::
   [model]
   start = 1970-01-01T00:00:00Z
+  stop = 1970-01-01T01:00:00Z
   time_step = P0-0T01:00:00
 
 Files and fields to be read and written to files are configured via the
@@ -53,6 +54,11 @@ The ``field_names`` entry may contain a single field name or a comma-separated
 list. Note that all of the ``XiosInput``, ``XiosOutput``, and ``XiosForcing``
 sections are optional.
 
+As elsewhere in the model, these configuration values are parsed by calling the
+``Model.configure`` member function. Since building with XIOS implies also
+building with MPI, you will need to pass the MPI communicator to this member
+function when calling it.
+
 Developer notes
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^