diff --git a/dumux/implicit/staggered/properties.hh b/dumux/implicit/staggered/properties.hh
index a0ff8daabd21cd5f09331c376bfa93bbb4035197..924e222c48cd35f204535d6a571fa5788a15f2b3 100644
--- a/dumux/implicit/staggered/properties.hh
+++ b/dumux/implicit/staggered/properties.hh
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ NEW_PROP_TAG(DofTypeIndices); //!< Indices to choose between cell center and fac
 NEW_PROP_TAG(FaceVariables); //!< Variables associated to facets (equivalent to volVars)
 NEW_PROP_TAG(GlobalFaceVars); //!< Global vector of facet variables
 
+NEW_PROP_TAG(VtkWriteFaceData); //!< Decide whether to write separate vtp files for face variables
+
 }
 }
 
diff --git a/dumux/implicit/staggered/propertydefaults.hh b/dumux/implicit/staggered/propertydefaults.hh
index 84953f578f5b67fc2baf0b52222bcdd1f63edc7d..4ca6111fdfd2de0750b9c17a04ba0f561d503fd5 100644
--- a/dumux/implicit/staggered/propertydefaults.hh
+++ b/dumux/implicit/staggered/propertydefaults.hh
@@ -242,6 +242,8 @@ public:
 //! use the plain newton convergence writer by default
 SET_TYPE_PROP(StaggeredModel, NewtonConvergenceWriter, StaggeredNewtonConvergenceWriter<TypeTag>);
 
+//! Write separate vtp files for face variables by default
+SET_BOOL_PROP(StaggeredModel, VtkWriteFaceData, true);
 } // namespace Properties
 
 } // namespace Dumux
diff --git a/dumux/io/staggeredvtkoutputmodule.hh b/dumux/io/staggeredvtkoutputmodule.hh
index fb31f0622163de8754c87c26ae1a4af59af8dee2..3c2102c7c23247decd629c13504f112a6e699e4a 100644
--- a/dumux/io/staggeredvtkoutputmodule.hh
+++ b/dumux/io/staggeredvtkoutputmodule.hh
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@ public:
     StaggeredVtkOutputModule(const Problem& problem,
                     Dune::VTK::DataMode dm = Dune::VTK::conforming) : ParentType(problem, dm), faceWriter_(problem)
 
-    {}
+    {
+        writeFaceVars_ = GET_PARAM_FROM_GROUP(TypeTag, bool, Vtk, WriteFaceData);
+    }
 
     //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     //! Methods to conveniently add primary and secondary variables upon problem initialization
@@ -115,7 +117,8 @@ public:
     void write(double time, Dune::VTK::OutputType type = Dune::VTK::ascii)
     {
         ParentType::write(time, type);
-        getFaceDataAndWrite_();
+        if(writeFaceVars_)
+            getFaceDataAndWrite_();
     }
 
 protected:
@@ -259,6 +262,7 @@ private:
 
     StaggeredVtkWriter<TypeTag, WriterData> faceWriter_;
     WriterData faceData_;
+    bool writeFaceVars_;
 
     //! Returns the implementation of the problem (i.e. static polymorphism)
     Implementation &asImp_()