diff --git a/io/teca_cf_writer.cxx b/io/teca_cf_writer.cxx
index e5f3878b9..3141a0ba3 100644
--- a/io/teca_cf_writer.cxx
+++ b/io/teca_cf_writer.cxx
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ void teca_cf_writer::get_properties_description(
             "the list of non-geometric arrays to write")
         ;
 
-    this->teca_algorithm::get_properties_description(prefix, opts);
+    this->teca_threaded_algorithm::get_properties_description(prefix, opts);
 
     global_opts.add(opts);
 }