We want to believe this will work out: The X-Files is trying to get Robert Patrick back for Season 11.

Series creator Chris Carter tells TVLine exclusively that the Scorpion actor — who portrayed Agent John Doggett in Seasons 8 and 9 — was actually slated to appear in one of Season 11’s early installments. “I actually wrote him into an episode,” Carter reveals. “But then I found out he wasn’t going to be available to us [because of Scorpion] so I had to write him out of the episode… Scorpion is his first priority.”

Carter then cryptically adds, “That’s not to say you won’t see him this season…”

For his part, Patrick confirms to TVLine that it was a scheduling conflict with Scorpion that torpedoed his original encore, but says he’s “game” to make another go at it. (The X-Files is about to start production on Episode 6 of its 10-episode order.)

A Doggett comeback makes sense considering that his former partner, Monica Reyes (Annabeth Gish), was revealed to be in cahoots with Cigarette Smoking Man in the Season 10 cliffhanger. Gish has already signed on to return in Season 11, and Carter says her mysterious alliance with CSM will be addressed “in an interesting way.”