diff --git a/doc/RTD/source/GettingStarted/parameter_file.rst b/doc/RTD/source/GettingStarted/parameter_file.rst
index b4c55b6752e9c2413a7b3bba7fd3a8921192e124..1bf4cbd3940a104c126aa256759edc24ca996338 100644
--- a/doc/RTD/source/GettingStarted/parameter_file.rst
+++ b/doc/RTD/source/GettingStarted/parameter_file.rst
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ the run time parameters.
 Output List
 ~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-In the sections ``Snapshots`` and ``Statistics``, you can specify the option ``output_list``  which receives a filename.
-This file consists in a list of time where you want to output either a snapshot or a statistic.
-With the header, you can choose between writing redshifts, scale factors or times.
+In the sections ``Snapshots`` and ``Statistics``, you can specify the options ``output_list_on`` and ``output_list``  which receive an int and a filename.
+The ``output_list_on`` enable or not the output list and ``output_list`` is the filename containing the output times.
+With the file header, you can choose between writing redshifts, scale factors or times.
 
-Example of file containing with times:
+Example of file containing with times (in internal units):
 ::
    # Time
    0.5
diff --git a/examples/parameter_example.yml b/examples/parameter_example.yml
index 94e58ee5ce4d98f97a2ecefe5ad54000f1ef22bf..5d03e04c6be8c34998597b687f6101099721ffe5 100644
--- a/examples/parameter_example.yml
+++ b/examples/parameter_example.yml
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ Snapshots:
   UnitVelocity_in_cgs: 1  # (Optional) Unit system for the outputs (Centimeters per second)
   UnitCurrent_in_cgs:  1  # (Optional) Unit system for the outputs (Amperes)
   UnitTemp_in_cgs:     1  # (Optional) Unit system for the outputs (Kelvin)
-  output_list:          "" # (Optional) File containing the output times (see documentation in "Parameter File" section)
+  output_list_on:      0  # (Optional) Enable the output list
+  output_list:         snaplist.txt # (Optional) File containing the output times (see documentation in "Parameter File" section)
 
 # Parameters governing the conserved quantities statistics
 Statistics:
@@ -90,7 +91,8 @@ Statistics:
   time_first:             0.     # (Optional) Time of the first stats output if non-cosmological time-integration (in internal units)
   energy_file_name:    energy    # (Optional) File name for energy output
   timestep_file_name:  timesteps # (Optional) File name for timing information output. Note: No underscores "_" allowed in file name
-  output_list:          ""        # (Optional) File containing the output times (see documentation in "Parameter File" section)
+  output_list_on:      0   	 # (Optional) Enable the output list
+  output_list:         statlist.txt # (Optional) File containing the output times (see documentation in "Parameter File" section)
 
 # Parameters related to the initial conditions
 InitialConditions:
diff --git a/src/engine.c b/src/engine.c
index 91332f1820513e76a8332136dafa012d90abba41..1cb4e0c22c810a7797933725c92b9980077e2486 100644
--- a/src/engine.c
+++ b/src/engine.c
@@ -6750,15 +6750,16 @@ void engine_read_outputlist_files(struct engine *e, const struct swift_params *p
     cosmo = e->cosmology;
   
   /* Deal with snapshots */
-  e->outputlist_snapshots = (struct outputlist*) malloc(sizeof(struct outputlist));
-  list = e->outputlist_snapshots;
-  
-  strcpy(filename, "");
-  parser_get_opt_param_string(params, "Snapshots:output_list",
-			      filename, "");
+  int outputlist_on = parser_get_opt_param_int(params, "Snapshots:output_list_on", 0);
 
   /* Read outputlist for snapshots */
-  if (strcmp(filename, "")) {
+  if (outputlist_on) {
+    e->outputlist_snapshots = (struct outputlist*) malloc(sizeof(struct outputlist));
+    list = e->outputlist_snapshots;
+
+    parser_get_param_string(params, "Snapshots:output_list",
+			    filename);
+    
     message("Reading snapshots output file.");
     outputlist_read_file(list, filename, cosmo);
 
@@ -6777,15 +6778,17 @@ void engine_read_outputlist_files(struct engine *e, const struct swift_params *p
   }
 
     /* Deal with stats */
-  e->outputlist_stats = (struct outputlist*) malloc(sizeof(struct outputlist));
-  list = e->outputlist_stats;
   
-  strcpy(filename, "");
-  parser_get_opt_param_string(params, "Statistics:output_list",
-			      filename, "");
+  outputlist_on = parser_get_opt_param_int(params, "Statistics:output_list_on", 0);
 
   /* Read outputlist for stats */
-  if (strcmp(filename, "")) {
+  if (outputlist_on) {
+    e->outputlist_stats = (struct outputlist*) malloc(sizeof(struct outputlist));
+    list = e->outputlist_stats;
+
+    parser_get_param_string(params, "Statistics:output_list",
+			    filename);
+    
     message("Reading statistics output file.");
     outputlist_read_file(list, filename, cosmo);