diff --git a/framework/include/problems/FEProblemBase.h b/framework/include/problems/FEProblemBase.h
index 964ba318550f..1b1d053f387e 100644
--- a/framework/include/problems/FEProblemBase.h
+++ b/framework/include/problems/FEProblemBase.h
@@ -2473,6 +2473,7 @@ class FEProblemBase : public SubProblem, public Restartable
   bool _ignore_zeros_in_jacobian;
   const bool _force_restart;
   const bool _skip_additional_restart_data;
+  const bool _allow_ics_during_restart;
   const bool _skip_nl_system_check;
   bool _fail_next_nonlinear_convergence_check;
   const bool & _allow_invalid_solution;
diff --git a/framework/src/problems/FEProblemBase.C b/framework/src/problems/FEProblemBase.C
index bb5266d24167..df2aaeb07973 100644
--- a/framework/src/problems/FEProblemBase.C
+++ b/framework/src/problems/FEProblemBase.C
@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@ FEProblemBase::validParams()
                         false,
                         "True to skip the NonlinearSystem check for work to do (e.g. Make sure "
                         "that there are variables to solve for).");
+  params.addParam<bool>("allow_initial_conditions_with_restart",
+                        false,
+                        "True to allow the user to specify initial conditions when restarting. "
+                        "Initial conditions can override any restarted field");
 
   /// One entry of coord system per block, the size of _blocks and _coord_sys has to match, except:
   /// 1. _blocks.size() == 0, then there needs to be just one entry in _coord_sys, which will
@@ -282,7 +286,8 @@ FEProblemBase::validParams()
   params.addParamNamesToGroup("use_nonlinear previous_nl_solution_required nl_sys_names "
                               "ignore_zeros_in_jacobian",
                               "Nonlinear system(s)");
-  params.addParamNamesToGroup("restart_file_base force_restart skip_additional_restart_data",
+  params.addParamNamesToGroup("restart_file_base force_restart skip_additional_restart_data "
+                              "allow_initial_conditions_with_restart",
                               "Restart");
   params.addParamNamesToGroup("verbose_multiapps parallel_barrier_messaging", "Verbosity");
   params.addParamNamesToGroup(
@@ -379,6 +384,7 @@ FEProblemBase::FEProblemBase(const InputParameters & parameters)
     _ignore_zeros_in_jacobian(getParam<bool>("ignore_zeros_in_jacobian")),
     _force_restart(getParam<bool>("force_restart")),
     _skip_additional_restart_data(getParam<bool>("skip_additional_restart_data")),
+    _allow_ics_during_restart(getParam<bool>("allow_initial_conditions_with_restart")),
     _skip_nl_system_check(getParam<bool>("skip_nl_system_check")),
     _fail_next_nonlinear_convergence_check(false),
     _allow_invalid_solution(getParam<bool>("allow_invalid_solution")),
@@ -3000,6 +3006,22 @@ FEProblemBase::addInitialCondition(const std::string & ic_name,
 {
   parallel_object_only();
 
+  // Forbid initial conditions on a restarted problem, as they would override the restart
+  if (!_allow_ics_during_restart)
+  {
+    std::string restart_method = "";
+    if (_app.isRestarting())
+      restart_method = "a checkpoint restart";
+    else if (_app.getExReaderForRestart())
+      restart_method = "an Exodus restart";
+    if (!restart_method.empty())
+      mooseError(
+          "Initial condition has been specified during ",
+          restart_method,
+          ".\nThis is only allowed if you specify 'allow_initial_conditions_with_restart' to "
+          "the [Problem], as initial conditions can override restarted fields");
+  }
+
   // before we start to mess with the initial condition, we need to check parameters for errors.
   parameters.checkParams(name);
 
diff --git a/test/tests/restart/restart_diffusion/exodus_refined_restart_1_test.i b/test/tests/restart/restart_diffusion/exodus_refined_restart_1_test.i
index 1e0f6bdfce9c..711e35ba76d9 100644
--- a/test/tests/restart/restart_diffusion/exodus_refined_restart_1_test.i
+++ b/test/tests/restart/restart_diffusion/exodus_refined_restart_1_test.i
@@ -1,47 +1,47 @@
 [Mesh]
-  [./square]
+  [square]
     type = GeneratedMeshGenerator
     nx = 2
     ny = 2
     dim = 2
-  [../]
+  []
   uniform_refine = 2
 []
 
 [Variables]
   active = 'u'
 
-  [./u]
+  [u]
     order = FIRST
     family = LAGRANGE
-  [../]
+  []
 []
 
 [Kernels]
   active = 'diff'
 
-  [./diff]
+  [diff]
     type = Diffusion
     variable = u
-  [../]
+  []
 []
 
 [BCs]
   active = 'left right'
 
-  [./left]
+  [left]
     type = DirichletBC
     variable = u
     boundary = 3
     value = 0
-  [../]
+  []
 
-  [./right]
+  [right]
     type = DirichletBC
     variable = u
     boundary = 1
     value = 1
-  [../]
+  []
 []
 
 [Executioner]
diff --git a/test/tests/restart/restart_diffusion/tests b/test/tests/restart/restart_diffusion/tests
index e5c8b92abbca..9d5453756d6a 100644
--- a/test/tests/restart/restart_diffusion/tests
+++ b/test/tests/restart/restart_diffusion/tests
@@ -91,8 +91,7 @@
   [restart_use_end_error_check]
     type = 'RunException'
     input = 'restart_diffusion_from_end_part2.i'
-    expect_err = 'Invalid value passed as "initial_from_file_timestep". Expected "LATEST" or a valid '
-                 'integer between \d+ and \d+ inclusive, received \d+'
+    expect_err = 'Invalid value passed as "initial_from_file_timestep". Expected "LATEST" or a valid integer between \d+ and \d+ inclusive, received \d+'
 
     cli_args = 'Variables/u/initial_from_file_timestep=8'
     prereq = 'restart_use_end_part2'
@@ -101,4 +100,14 @@
     requirement = "The system shall issue a useful error message stating the valid options when a "
                   "user requests an invalid time step number or keyword."
   []
+
+  [restart_error_with_ics]
+    type = 'RunException'
+    input = 'exodus_refined_restart_2_test.i'
+    expect_err = 'Initial condition has been specified during an Exodus restart'
+    cli_args = 'Variables/u/initial_condition=3'
+    issues = "#21423"
+    requirement = "The system shall issue a useful error message stating that initial conditions "
+                  "should not be used when restarting."
+  []
 []