diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/DeckKeyword.cpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/DeckKeyword.cpp
index 6a491a4f6..df91bd431 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/DeckKeyword.cpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/DeckKeyword.cpp
@@ -24,11 +24,21 @@ namespace Opm {
     DeckKeyword::DeckKeyword(const std::string& keywordName) {
         m_knownKeyword = true;
         m_keywordName = keywordName;
+        m_deckIndex = -1;
     }
     
     DeckKeyword::DeckKeyword(const std::string& keywordName, bool knownKeyword) {
         m_knownKeyword = knownKeyword;
         m_keywordName = keywordName;
+        m_deckIndex = -1;
+    }
+
+    ssize_t DeckKeyword::getDeckIndex() const {
+        return m_deckIndex;
+    }
+
+    void DeckKeyword::setDeckIndex(size_t deckIndex) {
+        m_deckIndex = deckIndex;
     }
 
     std::string DeckKeyword::name() const {
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/DeckKeyword.hpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/DeckKeyword.hpp
index 91353c400..b8866d569 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/DeckKeyword.hpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/DeckKeyword.hpp
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ namespace Opm {
         DeckRecordConstPtr getDataRecord() const;
         bool isKnown() const;
         
+        ssize_t getDeckIndex() const;
+        void    setDeckIndex(size_t deckIndex);
+
         const std::vector<int>& getIntData() const;
         const std::vector<double>& getDoubleData() const;
         const std::vector<std::string>& getStringData() const;
@@ -36,7 +39,7 @@ namespace Opm {
         std::string m_keywordName;
         std::vector<DeckRecordConstPtr> m_recordList;
         bool m_knownKeyword;
-
+        ssize_t m_deckIndex;
     };
     typedef boost::shared_ptr<DeckKeyword> DeckKeywordPtr;
     typedef boost::shared_ptr<const DeckKeyword> DeckKeywordConstPtr;
diff --git a/opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/tests/DeckKeywordTests.cpp b/opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/tests/DeckKeywordTests.cpp
index c5cde38b2..6116f6556 100644
--- a/opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/tests/DeckKeywordTests.cpp
+++ b/opm/parser/eclipse/Deck/tests/DeckKeywordTests.cpp
@@ -69,6 +69,15 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(setUnknown_wasknown_nowunknown) {
 }
 
 
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(DeckIndex) {
+    DeckKeywordPtr deckKeyword(new DeckKeyword("KW"));
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL( -1 , deckKeyword->getDeckIndex());
+    deckKeyword->setDeckIndex( 10);
+    BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(10 , deckKeyword->getDeckIndex());
+}
+
+
+