diff --git a/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamDictionary/foamDictionary.C b/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamDictionary/foamDictionary.C
index 8e66cbcc9a..94125194f4 100644
--- a/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamDictionary/foamDictionary.C
+++ b/applications/utilities/miscellaneous/foamDictionary/foamDictionary.C
@@ -79,12 +79,16 @@ Usage
         (or sub entry if -entry specified)
 
       - \par -expand
-        Read the specified dictionary file, expand the macros etc. and write
-        the resulting dictionary to standard output.
+        Read the specified dictionary file, expand the macros etc.
+        Writes the expanded dictionary to the output dictionary if specified
+        otherwise to standard output
 
       - \par -includes
         List the \c #include and \c #includeIfPresent files to standard output
 
+      - \par -output
+        Path name of the output dictionary, defaults to the input dictionary
+
     Example usage:
       - Change simulation to run for one timestep only:
         \verbatim
@@ -327,8 +331,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     argList::addBoolOption
     (
         "expand",
-        "Read the specified dictionary file, expand the macros etc. and write "
-        "the resulting dictionary to standard output"
+        "Read the specified dictionary file and expand the macros etc."
     );
     argList::addOption
     (
@@ -336,6 +339,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         "label",
         "Write with the specified precision"
     );
+    argList::addOption
+    (
+        "output",
+        "path name",
+        "Path name of the output dictionary"
+    );
 
     argList args(argc, argv);
 
@@ -432,24 +441,31 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
     else if (args.optionFound("expand") && !args.optionFound("entry"))
     {
-        IOobject::writeBanner(Info)
-            <<"//\n// " << dictPath << "\n//\n";
-
-        // Change the format to ASCII
-        if (dict.found(IOobject::foamFile))
+        if (!args.optionFound("output"))
         {
-            dict.subDict(IOobject::foamFile).add
-            (
-                "format",
-                IOstream::ASCII,
-                true
-            );
+            IOobject::writeBanner(Info)
+                <<"//\n// " << dictPath << "\n//\n";
+
+            // Change the format to ASCII
+            if (dict.found(IOobject::foamFile))
+            {
+                dict.subDict(IOobject::foamFile).add
+                (
+                    "format",
+                    IOstream::ASCII,
+                    true
+                );
+            }
+
+            dict.dictionary::write(Info, false);
+            IOobject::writeEndDivider(Info);
+
+            return 0;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            changed = true;
         }
-
-        dict.dictionary::write(Info, false);
-        IOobject::writeEndDivider(Info);
-
-        return 0;
     }
 
 
@@ -635,7 +651,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         remove(dict, diffDict);
         dict.dictionary::write(Info, false);
     }
-    else
+    else if (!args.optionFound("output"))
     {
         dict.dictionary::write(Info, false);
     }
@@ -648,7 +664,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         }
         else if (dictPtr)
         {
-            OFstream os(args.path()/dictPath, dictFormat);
+            // Set output dict name, defaults to the name of the input dict
+            const fileName outputDictPath
+            (
+                args.optionLookupOrDefault<fileName>("output", dictPath)
+            );
+
+            OFstream os(args.path()/outputDictPath, dictFormat);
             IOobject::writeBanner(os);
             if (dictPtr->found(IOobject::foamFile))
             {