diff --git a/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/forces/forces/forces.C b/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/forces/forces/forces.C
index d585569649..b23a6d2328 100644
--- a/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/forces/forces/forces.C
+++ b/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/forces/forces/forces.C
@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@ Foam::forces::forces
     rhoRef_(VGREAT),
     pRef_(0),
     coordSys_(),
+    localSystem_(false),
     forcesFilePtr_(NULL)
 {
     // Check if the available mesh is an fvMesh otherise deactivate
@@ -239,6 +240,7 @@ Foam::forces::forces
     rhoRef_(rhoInf),
     pRef_(pRef),
     coordSys_(coordSys),
+    localSystem_(false),
     forcesFilePtr_(NULL)
 {}
 
@@ -330,6 +332,7 @@ void Foam::forces::read(const dictionary& dict)
         if (!dict.readIfPresent<point>("CofR", coordSys_.origin()))
         {
             coordSys_ = coordinateSystem(dict, obr_);
+            localSystem_ = true;
         }
     }
 }
@@ -382,10 +385,17 @@ void Foam::forces::writeFileHeader()
     {
         forcesFilePtr_()
             << "# Time" << tab
-            << "forces(pressure, viscous) moment(pressure, viscous)"
-            << tab
-            << "local forces(pressure, viscous) local moment(pressure, viscous)"
-            << endl;
+            << "forces(pressure, viscous) moment(pressure, viscous)";
+
+        if (localSystem_)
+        {
+            forcesFilePtr_()
+                << tab
+                << "local forces(pressure, viscous) "
+                << "local moment(pressure, viscous)";
+        }
+
+        forcesFilePtr_()<< endl;
     }
 }
 
@@ -413,33 +423,42 @@ void Foam::forces::write()
 
         if (Pstream::master())
         {
-            forcesMoments fmLocal;
-
-            fmLocal.first().first() =
-                coordSys_.localVector(fm.first().first());
-
-            fmLocal.first().second() =
-                coordSys_.localVector(fm.first().second());
-
-            fmLocal.second().first() =
-                coordSys_.localVector(fm.second().first());
-
-            fmLocal.second().second() =
-                coordSys_.localVector(fm.second().second());
-
-            forcesFilePtr_() << obr_.time().value()
-                << tab << fm
-                << tab << fmLocal << endl;
-
             if (log_)
             {
                 Info<< "forces output:" << nl
                     << "    forces(pressure, viscous)" << fm.first() << nl
-                    << "    moment(pressure, viscous)" << fm.second() << nl
-                    << "  local:" << nl
-                    << "    forces(pressure, viscous)" << fmLocal.first() << nl
-                    << "    moment(pressure, viscous)" << fmLocal.second() << nl
-                    << endl;
+                    << "    moment(pressure, viscous)" << fm.second() << nl;
+
+                forcesFilePtr_() << obr_.time().value() << tab << fm;
+
+                if (localSystem_)
+                {
+                    forcesMoments fmLocal;
+
+                    fmLocal.first().first() =
+                        coordSys_.localVector(fm.first().first());
+
+                    fmLocal.first().second() =
+                        coordSys_.localVector(fm.first().second());
+
+                    fmLocal.second().first() =
+                        coordSys_.localVector(fm.second().first());
+
+                    fmLocal.second().second() =
+                        coordSys_.localVector(fm.second().second());
+
+                    forcesFilePtr_() << tab << fmLocal;
+
+
+                    Info<< "  local:" << nl
+                        << "    forces(pressure, viscous)" << fmLocal.first()
+                        << nl
+                        << "    moment(pressure, viscous)" << fmLocal.second()
+                        << nl;
+                }
+
+                forcesFilePtr_() << endl;
+                Info<< endl;
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/forces/forces/forces.H b/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/forces/forces/forces.H
index eb46c057d5..3d14768b2b 100644
--- a/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/forces/forces/forces.H
+++ b/src/postProcessing/functionObjects/forces/forces/forces.H
@@ -165,6 +165,9 @@ protected:
             //- Coordinate system used when evaluting forces/moments
             coordinateSystem coordSys_;
 
+            //- Flag to indicate whether we are using a local co-ordinate sys
+            bool localSystem_;
+
 
         //- Forces/moment file ptr
         autoPtr<OFstream> forcesFilePtr_;