diff --git a/src/thermophysicalModels/reactionThermo/chemistryReaders/chemkinReader/chemkinReader.C b/src/thermophysicalModels/reactionThermo/chemistryReaders/chemkinReader/chemkinReader.C
index 701ce73c8d..10d1b60a4d 100644
--- a/src/thermophysicalModels/reactionThermo/chemistryReaders/chemkinReader/chemkinReader.C
+++ b/src/thermophysicalModels/reactionThermo/chemistryReaders/chemkinReader/chemkinReader.C
@@ -753,10 +753,11 @@ void Foam::chemkinReader::addReaction
 
     forAll(nAtoms, i)
     {
-        if (mag(nAtoms[i]) > SMALL)
+        if (mag(nAtoms[i]) > imbalanceTol_)
         {
             FatalErrorIn("chemkinReader::addReaction")
-                << "Elemental imbalance in " << elementNames_[i]
+                << "Elemental imbalance of " << mag(nAtoms[i])
+                << " in " << elementNames_[i]
                 << " in reaction" << nl
                 << reactions_.last() << nl
                 << " on line " << lineNo_-1
@@ -839,7 +840,8 @@ Foam::chemkinReader::chemkinReader
     specieNames_(10),
     speciesTable_(species),
     reactions_(speciesTable_, speciesThermo_),
-    newFormat_(newFormat)
+    newFormat_(newFormat),
+    imbalanceTol_(ROOTSMALL)
 {
     read(CHEMKINFileName, thermoFileName);
 }
@@ -855,7 +857,8 @@ Foam::chemkinReader::chemkinReader
     specieNames_(10),
     speciesTable_(species),
     reactions_(speciesTable_, speciesThermo_),
-    newFormat_(thermoDict.lookupOrDefault("newFormat", false))
+    newFormat_(thermoDict.lookupOrDefault("newFormat", false)),
+    imbalanceTol_(thermoDict.lookupOrDefault("imbalanceTolerance", ROOTSMALL))
 {
     if (newFormat_)
     {
diff --git a/src/thermophysicalModels/reactionThermo/chemistryReaders/chemkinReader/chemkinReader.H b/src/thermophysicalModels/reactionThermo/chemistryReaders/chemkinReader/chemkinReader.H
index 1f5aa7acc8..f08daec9f9 100644
--- a/src/thermophysicalModels/reactionThermo/chemistryReaders/chemkinReader/chemkinReader.H
+++ b/src/thermophysicalModels/reactionThermo/chemistryReaders/chemkinReader/chemkinReader.H
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   =========                 |
   \\      /  F ield         | OpenFOAM: The Open Source CFD Toolbox
    \\    /   O peration     |
-    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2015 OpenFOAM Foundation
+    \\  /    A nd           | Copyright (C) 2011-2013 OpenFOAM Foundation
      \\/     M anipulation  |
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 License
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ public:
             gas
         };
 
-        //- Species element
+        //- species element
         struct specieElement
         {
             word elementName;
@@ -211,6 +211,9 @@ private:
         //- Flag to indicate that file is in new format
         Switch newFormat_;
 
+        //- Tolerance for element imbalance in a reaction
+        scalar imbalanceTol_;
+
 
     // Private Member Functions