diff --git a/warden3/warden_client/warden_client.py b/warden3/warden_client/warden_client.py
index 7b1fb432207937d3b9a0b3d7a6d8570ac8d158e2..c17768213bcfdcd3eb5b185906c758a372776f3e 100644
--- a/warden3/warden_client/warden_client.py
+++ b/warden3/warden_client/warden_client.py
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ class Client(object):
         if not idf:
             return None
         try:
-            with open(idf, "w+") as f:
+            with open(idf, "r") as f:
                 id = int(f.read())
         except (ValueError, IOError) as e:
             Error(message="Reading id file \"%s\" failed, relying on server" % idf,