diff --git a/ush/bash_utils/check_for_preexist_dir_file.sh b/ush/bash_utils/check_for_preexist_dir_file.sh
index 53dab67588..4ca55766d2 100644
--- a/ush/bash_utils/check_for_preexist_dir_file.sh
+++ b/ush/bash_utils/check_for_preexist_dir_file.sh
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ where the arguments are defined as follows:
 
   method:
   String specifying the action to take if a preexisting version of 
-  dir_or_file is found.  Valid values are \"delete\", \"rename\", and \"quit\".
+  dir_or_file is found.  Valid values are \"delete\", \"reuse\", \"rename\", and \"quit\".
 "
 
   fi
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ where the arguments are defined as follows:
 #
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
-  local valid_vals_method=( "delete" "rename" "quit" )
+  local valid_vals_method=( "delete" "reuse" "rename" "quit" )
   check_var_valid_value "method" "valid_vals_method"
 #
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -139,6 +139,15 @@ Moving (renaming) preexisting directory or file to:
 #
 #-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
+# If method is set to "reuse", keep preexisting directory intact.
+#
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+#
+    "reuse")
+      ;;
+#
+#-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+#
 # If method is set to "quit", we simply exit with a nonzero status.  Note
 # that "exit" is different than "return" because it will cause the calling
 # script (in which this file/function is sourced) to stop execution.
diff --git a/ush/config_defaults.yaml b/ush/config_defaults.yaml
index 0a9c48e1c7..80f28ace18 100644
--- a/ush/config_defaults.yaml
+++ b/ush/config_defaults.yaml
@@ -836,7 +836,7 @@ workflow:
   # use to deal with preexisting directories [e.g ones generated by previous
   # calls to the experiment generation script using the same experiment name
   # (EXPT_SUBDIR) as the current experiment].  This variable must be set to
-  # one of "delete", "rename", and "quit".  The resulting behavior for each
+  # one of "delete", "reuse", "rename", and "quit".  The resulting behavior for each
   # of these values is as follows:
   #
   # * "delete":
@@ -850,6 +850,22 @@ workflow:
   #   the suffix "_oldNNN", where NNN is a 3-digit integer chosen to make
   #   the new name unique.
   #
+  # * "reuse":
+  #    If method is set to "reuse", 
+  #     keep preexisting directory intact except that
+  #     when preexisting directory is $EXPDIR, do the following:
+  #       save all old files to a subdirecotry oldxxx/ and then
+  #       populate new files into the $EXPDIR directory
+  #    This is useful to keep ongoing runs uninterrupted:
+  #     rocotoco *db files and previous cycles will stay and hence
+  #       1. no need to manually cp/mv *db files and previous cycles back
+  #       2. no need to manually restart related rocoto tasks failed during
+  #            the workflow generation process
+  #    This may best suit for incremental system reuses.
+  #   
+  #    Alternatively, one can always elect to use the "rename" option 
+  #      and then manually do the above aftermath
+  #
   # * "quit":
   #   The preexisting directory is left unchanged, but execution of the
   #   currently running script is terminated.  In this case, the preexisting
diff --git a/ush/python_utils/check_for_preexist_dir_file.py b/ush/python_utils/check_for_preexist_dir_file.py
index 39ad7f1706..79666f8288 100644
--- a/ush/python_utils/check_for_preexist_dir_file.py
+++ b/ush/python_utils/check_for_preexist_dir_file.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 from textwrap import dedent
 from .check_var_valid_value import check_var_valid_value
-from .filesys_cmds_vrfy import rm_vrfy, mv_vrfy
+from .filesys_cmds_vrfy import rm_vrfy, mv_vrfy, rsync_vrfy
 from .print_msg import log_info
 
 
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@ def check_for_preexist_dir_file(path, method):
 
     Args:
         path: path to directory
-        method: could be any of [ 'delete', 'rename', 'quit' ]
+        method: could be any of [ 'delete', 'reuse', 'rename', 'quit' ]
     Returns:
         None
     """
 
     try:
-        check_var_valid_value(method, ["delete", "rename", "quit"])
+        check_var_valid_value(method, ["delete", "reuse", "rename", "quit"])
     except ValueError:
         errmsg = dedent(
             f"""
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def check_for_preexist_dir_file(path, method):
     if os.path.exists(path):
         if method == "delete":
             rm_vrfy(" -rf ", path)
-        elif method == "rename":
+        elif method == "rename" or method == "reuse":
             now = datetime.now()
             d = now.strftime("_old_%Y%m%d_%H%M%S")
             new_path = path + d
@@ -44,7 +44,10 @@ def check_for_preexist_dir_file(path, method):
                 Moving (renaming) preexisting directory or file to:
                     {new_path}"""
             )
-            mv_vrfy(path, new_path)
+            if method == "rename":
+                mv_vrfy(path, new_path)
+            else:
+                rsync_vrfy(path, new_path)
         else:
             raise FileExistsError(
                 dedent(
diff --git a/ush/python_utils/filesys_cmds_vrfy.py b/ush/python_utils/filesys_cmds_vrfy.py
index d99b97c7f2..ca986f9693 100644
--- a/ush/python_utils/filesys_cmds_vrfy.py
+++ b/ush/python_utils/filesys_cmds_vrfy.py
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ def cp_vrfy(*args):
     return cmd_vrfy("cp", *args)
 
 
+def rsync_vrfy(*args):
+    return cmd_vrfy("rsync", *args)
+
+
 def mv_vrfy(*args):
     return cmd_vrfy("mv", *args)