diff --git a/opm/simulators/flow/FlowBaseVanguard.hpp b/opm/simulators/flow/FlowBaseVanguard.hpp
index 2376c505c..7e19fc66c 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/flow/FlowBaseVanguard.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/flow/FlowBaseVanguard.hpp
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@ template<class TypeTag>
 struct EclDeckFileName<TypeTag, Properties::TTag::FlowBaseVanguard>
 { static constexpr auto value = ""; };
 
+// TODO: enumeration parameters. we use strings for now.
+template<class TypeTag, class MyTypeTag>
+struct EnableDryRun { using type = Properties::UndefinedProperty; };
+
 template<class TypeTag, class MyTypeTag>
 struct EnableOpmRstFile { using type = Properties::UndefinedProperty; };
 
@@ -139,6 +143,11 @@ template<class TypeTag>
 struct EclOutputInterval<TypeTag, Properties::TTag::FlowBaseVanguard>
 { static constexpr int value = -1; };
 
+// TODO: enumeration parameters. we use strings for now.
+template<class TypeTag>
+struct EnableDryRun<TypeTag, Properties::TTag::FlowBaseVanguard>
+{ static constexpr auto value = "auto"; };
+
 template<class TypeTag>
 struct EnableOpmRstFile<TypeTag, Properties::TTag::FlowBaseVanguard>
 { static constexpr bool value = false; };
@@ -242,6 +251,8 @@ public:
             ("The name of the file which contains the ECL deck to be simulated");
         Parameters::registerParam<TypeTag, Parameters::EclOutputInterval>
             ("The number of report steps that ought to be skipped between two writes of ECL results");
+        Parameters::registerParam<TypeTag, Parameters::EnableDryRun>
+            ("Specify if the simulation ought to be actually run, or just pretended to be");
         Parameters::registerParam<TypeTag, Parameters::EnableOpmRstFile>
             ("Include OPM-specific keywords in the ECL restart file to "
              "enable restart of OPM simulators from these files");
@@ -543,6 +554,8 @@ protected:
         std::string outputDir = Parameters::get<TypeTag, Parameters::OutputDir>();
         bool enableEclCompatFile = !Parameters::get<TypeTag, Parameters::EnableOpmRstFile>();
         asImp_().updateOutputDir_(outputDir, enableEclCompatFile);
+        const std::string& dryRunString = Parameters::get<TypeTag, Parameters::EnableDryRun>();
+        asImp_().updateNOSIM_(dryRunString);
         asImp_().finalizeInit_();
     }
 
diff --git a/opm/simulators/flow/FlowGenericVanguard.cpp b/opm/simulators/flow/FlowGenericVanguard.cpp
index e5a27132d..23369e30f 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/flow/FlowGenericVanguard.cpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/flow/FlowGenericVanguard.cpp
@@ -175,6 +175,34 @@ std::string FlowGenericVanguard::canonicalDeckPath(const std::string& caseName)
     throw std::invalid_argument("Cannot find input case '"+caseName+"'");
 }
 
+void FlowGenericVanguard::updateNOSIM_(std::string_view dryRunString)
+{
+    try {
+        // Possible to force initialization only behavior (NOSIM).
+        if (dryRunString != "" && dryRunString != "auto") {
+            bool enableDryRun;
+            if (dryRunString == "true"
+                || dryRunString == "t"
+                || dryRunString == "1")
+                enableDryRun = true;
+            else if (dryRunString == "false"
+                        || dryRunString == "f"
+                        || dryRunString == "0")
+                enableDryRun = false;
+            else
+                throw std::invalid_argument("Invalid value for parameter EnableDryRun: '"
+                                            + std::string(dryRunString) + "'");
+            auto& ioConfig = eclState().getIOConfig();
+            ioConfig.overrideNOSIM(enableDryRun);
+        }
+    }
+    catch (const std::invalid_argument& e) {
+        std::cerr << "Failed to create valid EclipseState object" << std::endl;
+        std::cerr << "Exception caught: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+        throw;
+    }
+}
+
 void FlowGenericVanguard::updateOutputDir_(std::string outputDir,
                                            bool enableEclCompatFile)
 {
diff --git a/opm/simulators/flow/FlowGenericVanguard.hpp b/opm/simulators/flow/FlowGenericVanguard.hpp
index 9d6298876..bdad1db88 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/flow/FlowGenericVanguard.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/flow/FlowGenericVanguard.hpp
@@ -284,6 +284,8 @@ protected:
     void updateOutputDir_(std::string outputDir,
                           bool enableEclCompatFile);
 
+    void updateNOSIM_(std::string_view enableDryRun);
+
     bool drsdtconEnabled() const;
 
     std::unordered_map<std::size_t, const NumericalAquiferCell*> allAquiferCells() const;
diff --git a/opm/simulators/flow/FlowMain.hpp b/opm/simulators/flow/FlowMain.hpp
index 894922a6a..58f62e6ef 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/flow/FlowMain.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/flow/FlowMain.hpp
@@ -44,20 +44,12 @@
 
 namespace Opm::Parameters {
 
-template<class TypeTag, class MyTypeTag>
-struct EnableDryRun { using type = Properties::UndefinedProperty; };
-
 template<class TypeTag, class MyTypeTag>
 struct OutputInterval { using type = Properties::UndefinedProperty; };
 
 template<class TypeTag, class MyTypeTag>
 struct EnableLoggingFalloutWarning { using type = Properties::UndefinedProperty; };
 
-// TODO: enumeration parameters. we use strings for now.
-template<class TypeTag>
-struct EnableDryRun<TypeTag, Properties::TTag::FlowProblem>
-{ static constexpr auto value = "auto"; };
-
 // Do not merge parallel output files or warn about them
 template<class TypeTag>
 struct EnableLoggingFalloutWarning<TypeTag, Properties::TTag::FlowProblem>
@@ -110,8 +102,6 @@ namespace Opm {
                 return EXIT_SUCCESS;
             }
             // register the flow specific parameters
-            Parameters::registerParam<TypeTag, Parameters::EnableDryRun>
-                ("Specify if the simulation ought to be actually run, or just pretended to be");
             Parameters::registerParam<TypeTag, Parameters::OutputInterval>
                 ("Specify the number of report steps between two consecutive writes of restart data");
             Parameters::registerParam<TypeTag, Parameters::EnableLoggingFalloutWarning>
@@ -421,32 +411,6 @@ namespace Opm {
             modelSimulator_ = std::make_unique<ModelSimulator>(FlowGenericVanguard::comm(), /*verbose=*/false);
             modelSimulator_->executionTimer().start();
             modelSimulator_->model().applyInitialSolution();
-
-            try {
-                // Possible to force initialization only behavior (NOSIM).
-                const std::string& dryRunString = Parameters::get<TypeTag, Parameters::EnableDryRun>();
-                if (dryRunString != "" && dryRunString != "auto") {
-                    bool yesno;
-                    if (dryRunString == "true"
-                        || dryRunString == "t"
-                        || dryRunString == "1")
-                        yesno = true;
-                    else if (dryRunString == "false"
-                             || dryRunString == "f"
-                             || dryRunString == "0")
-                        yesno = false;
-                    else
-                        throw std::invalid_argument("Invalid value for parameter EnableDryRun: '"
-                                                    +dryRunString+"'");
-                    auto& ioConfig = eclState().getIOConfig();
-                    ioConfig.overrideNOSIM(yesno);
-                }
-            }
-            catch (const std::invalid_argument& e) {
-                std::cerr << "Failed to create valid EclipseState object" << std::endl;
-                std::cerr << "Exception caught: " << e.what() << std::endl;
-                throw;
-            }
         }
 
         const EclipseState& eclState() const
diff --git a/opm/simulators/flow/FlowProblem.hpp b/opm/simulators/flow/FlowProblem.hpp
index f444b65ef..c4cc9479d 100644
--- a/opm/simulators/flow/FlowProblem.hpp
+++ b/opm/simulators/flow/FlowProblem.hpp
@@ -314,6 +314,7 @@ public:
         enableDriftCompensation_ = Parameters::get<TypeTag, Parameters::EnableDriftCompensation>();
 
         enableEclOutput_ = Parameters::get<TypeTag, Parameters::EnableEclOutput>();
+        enableVtkOutput_ = Parameters::get<TypeTag, Parameters::EnableVtkOutput>();
 
         this->enableTuning_ = Parameters::get<TypeTag, Parameters::EnableTuning>();
         this->initialTimeStepSize_ = Parameters::get<TypeTag, Parameters::InitialTimeStepSize>();
@@ -465,6 +466,11 @@ public:
             drift_ = 0.0;
         }
 
+        if (enableVtkOutput_ && eclState.getIOConfig().initOnly()) {
+            simulator.setTimeStepSize(0.0);
+            ParentType::writeOutput(true);
+        }
+
         // after finishing the initialization and writing the initial solution, we move
         // to the first "real" episode/report step
         // for restart the episode index and start is already set
@@ -2839,6 +2845,7 @@ private:
     AquiferModel aquiferModel_;
 
     bool enableEclOutput_;
+    bool enableVtkOutput_;
     std::unique_ptr<EclWriterType> eclWriter_;
     
 #if HAVE_DAMARIS