diff --git a/scripts/start/prepare_and_run.R b/scripts/start/prepare_and_run.R
index 6539f01e16730c6d1bbf83e5e73fb9406bcbbb63..90c64e1cfd09da0e5df76bff57e030e3cb7ec98a 100644
--- a/scripts/start/prepare_and_run.R
+++ b/scripts/start/prepare_and_run.R
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ prepare <- function() {
   # ATTENTION: modifying gms files
   if(!is.null(cfg$gms$carbonprice) && (cfg$gms$carbonprice == "NDC2018")){
     source("scripts/input/prepare_NDC2018.R")
-    prepare_NDC2018(as.character(cfg$files2export$start["input_ref.gdx"]))
+    prepare_NDC2018(as.character(cfg$files2export$start["input_bau.gdx"]))
   } 
   ## the following is outcommented because by now it has to be done by hand ( currently only one gdx is handed to the next run, so it is impossible to fix to one run and use the tax from another run)
   ## Update CO2 tax information for exogenous carbon price runs with the same CO2 price as a previous run