diff --git a/src/citeme.cpp b/src/citeme.cpp
index 0a2ff7208a..f7c7be0fc4 100644
--- a/src/citeme.cpp
+++ b/src/citeme.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ CiteMe::CiteMe(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp) {
 
   _pubs = (void *)c;
 
-  if ((universe->me == 0) && ((fp = fopen("log.cite","w")))) {
+  if (lmp->cite_enable && (universe->me == 0) && ((fp = fopen("log.cite","w")))) {
     fputs(dashline,fp);
     fputs(lammps_version,fp);
     fputs(dashline,fp);
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ void CiteMe::add(const char *ref)
 CiteMe::~CiteMe()
 {
 
-  if (comm->me == 0) {
+  if (lmp->cite_enable && (comm->me == 0)) {
     if (screen)
       fputs(nagline,screen);
 
diff --git a/src/lammps.cpp b/src/lammps.cpp
index 04286d317b..60a25a5fcc 100644
--- a/src/lammps.cpp
+++ b/src/lammps.cpp
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ LAMMPS::LAMMPS(int narg, char **arg, MPI_Comm communicator)
   int helpflag = 0;
   suffix = NULL;
   suffix_enable = 0;
+  cite_enable = 1;
 
   int iarg = 1;
   while (iarg < narg) {
@@ -167,6 +168,10 @@ LAMMPS::LAMMPS(int narg, char **arg, MPI_Comm communicator)
         error->universe_all(FLERR,"Cannot use -reorder after -partition");
       universe->reorder(arg[iarg+1],arg[iarg+2]);
       iarg += 3;
+    } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"-nocite") == 0 ||
+               strcmp(arg[iarg],"-nc") == 0) {
+      cite_enable = 0;
+      ++iarg;
     } else if (strcmp(arg[iarg],"-help") == 0 ||
                strcmp(arg[iarg],"-h") == 0) {
       if (iarg+1 > narg)
diff --git a/src/lammps.h b/src/lammps.h
index 1bb0484998..70475494df 100644
--- a/src/lammps.h
+++ b/src/lammps.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ class LAMMPS {
 
   char *suffix;                  // suffix to add to input script style names
   int suffix_enable;             // 1 if suffix enabled, 0 if disabled
+  int cite_enable;               // 1 if generating log.cite, 0 if disabled
   class Cuda *cuda;              // CUDA accelerator class
 
   LAMMPS(int, char **, MPI_Comm);