diff --git a/src/Output.C b/src/Output.C
index 6a8eec3..e9e5f14 100644
--- a/src/Output.C
+++ b/src/Output.C
@@ -657,6 +657,15 @@ void SimParameters::close_dcdfile() {
 
 }
 
+void SimParameters::close_veldcdfile() {
+
+  Output *output = Node::Object()->output;
+  if ( ! output ) return;
+
+  output->output_veldcdfile(END_OF_RUN, 0, 0);
+
+}
+
 void Output::setReplicaDcdIndex(int index) {
   replicaDcdActive = 1;
   replicaDcdIndex = index;
diff --git a/src/SimParameters.C b/src/SimParameters.C
index b5e0b32..eb6313a 100644
--- a/src/SimParameters.C
+++ b/src/SimParameters.C
@@ -241,6 +241,11 @@ void SimParameters::scriptSet(const char *param, const char *value) {
     strcpy(dcdFilename,value);
     return;
   }
+  if ( ! strncasecmp(param,"velDCDfile",MAX_SCRIPT_PARAM_SIZE) ) { 
+    close_veldcdfile();  // *** implemented in Output.C ***
+    strcpy(velDcdFilename,value);
+    return;
+  }
   SCRIPT_PARSE_STRING("tclBCArgs",tclBCArgs)
   SCRIPT_PARSE_VECTOR("eField",eField)
   SCRIPT_PARSE_FLOAT("eFieldFreq",eFieldFreq)
diff --git a/src/SimParameters.h b/src/SimParameters.h
index f164a54..2bd3752 100644
--- a/src/SimParameters.h
+++ b/src/SimParameters.h
@@ -992,6 +992,7 @@ public:
 	void scriptSet(const char *, const char *);
 					//  Set parameters at run time
 	void close_dcdfile();  // *** implemented in Output.C ***
+	void close_veldcdfile();  // *** implemented in Output.C ***
         static void nonbonded_select();
 
 	int isSendSpanningTreeOn(){ return proxySendSpanningTree == 1; }