diff --git a/src/finiteVolume/cfdTools/general/coupling/externalFileCoupler.C b/src/finiteVolume/cfdTools/general/coupling/externalFileCoupler.C
index 5ac87200e7..5d4b3375ca 100644
--- a/src/finiteVolume/cfdTools/general/coupling/externalFileCoupler.C
+++ b/src/finiteVolume/cfdTools/general/coupling/externalFileCoupler.C
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ Foam::externalFileCoupler::externalFileCoupler()
 :
     runState_(NONE),
     commsDir_("<case>/comms"),
-    statusEnd_("done"),
+    statusDone_("done"),
     waitInterval_(1u),
     timeOut_(100u),
     slaveFirst_(false),
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ Foam::externalFileCoupler::externalFileCoupler(const fileName& commsDir)
 :
     runState_(NONE),
     commsDir_(commsDir),
-    statusEnd_("done"),
+    statusDone_("done"),
     waitInterval_(1u),
     timeOut_(100u),
     slaveFirst_(false),
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ bool Foam::externalFileCoupler::readDict(const dictionary& dict)
         dict.readEntry("commsDir", commsDir_);
         commsDir_.expand();
         commsDir_.clean();
-        statusEnd_ = dict.lookupOrDefault<word>("shutdown", "done");
+        statusDone_ = dict.lookupOrDefault<word>("statusDone", "done");
         slaveFirst_ = dict.lookupOrDefault("initByExternal", false);
 
         Info<< type() << ": initialize" << nl
@@ -360,10 +360,10 @@ void Foam::externalFileCoupler::shutdown() const
 {
     if (Pstream::master() && runState_ == MASTER && Foam::isDir(commsDir_))
     {
-        Log << type() << ": lock file status=" << statusEnd_ << endl;
+        Log << type() << ": lock file status=" << statusDone_ << endl;
 
         std::ofstream os(lockFile());
-        os << "status=" << statusEnd_ << nl;
+        os << "status=" << statusDone_ << nl;
     }
 
     runState_ = DONE;   // Avoid re-triggering in destructor
diff --git a/src/finiteVolume/cfdTools/general/coupling/externalFileCoupler.H b/src/finiteVolume/cfdTools/general/coupling/externalFileCoupler.H
index a242cdb953..ac7421725c 100644
--- a/src/finiteVolume/cfdTools/general/coupling/externalFileCoupler.H
+++ b/src/finiteVolume/cfdTools/general/coupling/externalFileCoupler.H
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 License
     This file is part of OpenFOAM.
 
-    OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify i
+    OpenFOAM is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
     under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
     the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
     (at your option) any later version.
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Description
         waitInterval    1;
         timeOut         100;
         initByExternal  no;
-        shutdown        done;
+        statusDone      done;
     }
     \endverbatim
 
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ private:
         fileName commsDir_;
 
         //- Value for "status=..." on termination
-        word statusEnd_;
+        word statusDone_;
 
         //- Interval time between checking for return data [s]
         unsigned waitInterval_;
@@ -283,6 +283,7 @@ public:
 
 
         //- Generate \c status=done in lock (only when run-state = master)
+        //  The exact text can be specified via the statusDone keyword
         void shutdown() const;
 
         //- Remove files written by OpenFOAM
diff --git a/src/functionObjects/field/externalCoupled/externalCoupled.H b/src/functionObjects/field/externalCoupled/externalCoupled.H
index 98d4d0ef58..f646adc45c 100644
--- a/src/functionObjects/field/externalCoupled/externalCoupled.H
+++ b/src/functionObjects/field/externalCoupled/externalCoupled.H
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ Usage
         log             yes;
         commsDir        "<case>/comms";
         initByExternal  yes;
-        shutdown        done;  // Any arbitrary status=... value
+        statusDone      done;  // Any arbitrary status=... value
 
         regions
         {
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ Usage
         commsDir     | Communication directory              | yes |
         waitInterval | wait interval in (s)                 | no  | 1
         timeOut      | timeout in (s)                    | no | 100*waitInterval
-        shutdown     | Lockfile status=... on termination   | no  | done
+        statusDone   | Lockfile status=... on termination   | no  | done
         initByExternal | Initialization values supplied by external app | yes
         calcFrequency | Calculation frequency               | no  | 1
         regions      | The regions to couple                | yes |