diff --git a/GenericIO.cxx b/GenericIO.cxx
index e386cdf5ae4db997185106e7205657759753ae23..77d8380e9edada948279270a3e9a995bfec1333f 100644
--- a/GenericIO.cxx
+++ b/GenericIO.cxx
@@ -39,8 +39,6 @@
  * *****************************************************************************
  */
 
-#include <mpi.h>
-
 #define _XOPEN_SOURCE 600
 #include "CRC64.h"
 #include "GenericIO.h"
diff --git a/GenericIO.h b/GenericIO.h
index 02bf68563c8d257d17ff35cc9e95ea49c46955d5..8ce6615ebb99b2dad226b2cf0238299421a9b4d8 100644
--- a/GenericIO.h
+++ b/GenericIO.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
 #include <limits>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
-#ifndef GENERICIO_NO_MPI
+#if !defined(GENERICIO_NO_MPI) || defined(GENERICIO_WITH_VELOC)
 #include <mpi.h>
 #else
 #include <fstream>