diff --git a/doc/ug/run.tex b/doc/ug/run.tex
index 52ffaff336a..193a0d6d364 100644
--- a/doc/ug/run.tex
+++ b/doc/ug/run.tex
@@ -455,6 +455,7 @@ \section{Metadynamics}
 \item[\var{profile\_list}] Tcl list of a previous metadynamics
   profile.
 \item[\var{force\_list}] Tcl list of a previous metadynamics force.
+\item[\var{numrelaxationsteps}] number of relaxation steps before setting a new hill.
 \end{arguments}
 
 \subsubsection{Details on usage}
diff --git a/src/core/metadynamics.cpp b/src/core/metadynamics.cpp
index cdf8d20e2af..06d055e36e4 100644
--- a/src/core/metadynamics.cpp
+++ b/src/core/metadynamics.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ int    meta_pid2         =       -1;
 double meta_bias_height  =    0.001;
 /** bias width */
 double meta_bias_width   =      0.5;
+/** number of relaxation steps **/
+int meta_num_relaxation_steps =	-1;
 
 /** REACTION COORDINATE */
 /** RC min */
@@ -163,8 +165,10 @@ void meta_perform()
          // reaction coordinate value
          meta_val_xi = sqrt(sqrlen(meta_cur_xi));
          // Update free energy profile and biased force
-         meta_acc_fprofile[i] -= calculate_lucy(meta_xi_min+i*meta_xi_step,meta_val_xi);
-         meta_acc_force[i] -= calculate_deriv_lucy(meta_xi_min+i*meta_xi_step,meta_val_xi);
+         if(int(sim_time/time_step)%meta_num_relaxation_steps==0){
+		 meta_acc_fprofile[i] -= calculate_lucy(meta_xi_min+i*meta_xi_step,meta_val_xi);
+		 meta_acc_force[i] -= calculate_deriv_lucy(meta_xi_min+i*meta_xi_step,meta_val_xi);
+         }
          
          // direction of the bias force
          unit_vector(meta_cur_xi,meta_apply_direction);
@@ -172,9 +176,10 @@ void meta_perform()
          // reaction coordinate value: relative height of z_pid1 with respect to z_pid2
          meta_val_xi = -1.*meta_cur_xi[2];
          // Update free energy profile and biased force
-         meta_acc_fprofile[i] -= calculate_lucy(meta_xi_min+i*meta_xi_step,meta_val_xi);
-         meta_acc_force[i] -= calculate_deriv_lucy(meta_xi_min+i*meta_xi_step,meta_val_xi);
-         
+         if(int(sim_time/time_step)%meta_num_relaxation_steps==0){
+		 meta_acc_fprofile[i] -= calculate_lucy(meta_xi_min+i*meta_xi_step,meta_val_xi);
+		 meta_acc_force[i] -= calculate_deriv_lucy(meta_xi_min+i*meta_xi_step,meta_val_xi);
+         }
          // direction of the bias force (-1 to be consistent with META_DIST: from 1 to 2)
          meta_apply_direction[0] = meta_apply_direction[1] = 0.;
          meta_apply_direction[2] = -1.;
diff --git a/src/core/metadynamics.hpp b/src/core/metadynamics.hpp
index 83cbadc3aa9..48b2a3aab20 100644
--- a/src/core/metadynamics.hpp
+++ b/src/core/metadynamics.hpp
@@ -53,9 +53,14 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #define META_REL_Z   2
 
 /**********************************
-* exported variables
+* needed global variables
 **********************************/
+extern double sim_time;
+extern double time_step;
 
+/**********************************
+* exported variables
+**********************************/
 /** Flag - turn metadynamics on */
 extern int    meta_switch;
 /** pid of particle 1 */
@@ -66,6 +71,8 @@ extern int    meta_pid2;
 extern double meta_bias_height;
 /** bias width */
 extern double meta_bias_width;
+/** number of relaxation steps before a new potential is set **/
+extern int meta_num_relaxation_steps;
 
 /** REACTION COORDINATE */
 /** RC min */
diff --git a/src/tcl/metadynamics_tcl.cpp b/src/tcl/metadynamics_tcl.cpp
index 8122928245e..0a3562eec6f 100644
--- a/src/tcl/metadynamics_tcl.cpp
+++ b/src/tcl/metadynamics_tcl.cpp
@@ -109,20 +109,20 @@ int tclcommand_metadynamics_parse_off(Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, char **argv)
 
 int tclcommand_metadynamics_parse_distance(Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, char **argv)
 {
-  int    pid1, pid2, dbins;
+  int    pid1, pid2, dbins, numrelaxationsteps;
   double dmin, dmax, bheight, bwidth, fbound;
 
   /* check number of arguments */
-  if (argc < 8) {
+  if (argc < 11) {
     Tcl_AppendResult(interp, "wrong # args:  should be \n\"",
-                     argv[0]," ",argv[1]," <pid1> <pid2> <d_min> <d_max> <b_height> <b_width> <f_bound> <d_bins>\"", (char *)NULL);
+                     argv[0]," ",argv[1]," <pid1> <pid2> <d_min> <d_max> <b_height> <b_width> <f_bound> <d_bins> <num_relaxation_steps>\"", (char *)NULL);
     return (TCL_ERROR);
   }
 
   /* check argument types */
   if ( !ARG_IS_I(2, pid1) || !ARG_IS_I(3, pid2) || !ARG_IS_D(4, dmin) || !ARG_IS_D(5, dmax) || 
-       !ARG_IS_D(6, bheight) || !ARG_IS_D(7, bwidth) || !ARG_IS_D(8, fbound) || !ARG_IS_I(9, dbins)) {
-    Tcl_AppendResult(interp, argv[0]," ",argv[1]," needs two INTS, five DOUBLES, and one INT", (char *)NULL);
+       !ARG_IS_D(6, bheight) || !ARG_IS_D(7, bwidth) || !ARG_IS_D(8, fbound) || !ARG_IS_I(9, dbins) || !ARG_IS_I(10, numrelaxationsteps ) ) {
+    Tcl_AppendResult(interp, argv[0]," ",argv[1]," needs two INTS, five DOUBLES, and two INTS in this order", (char *)NULL);
     return (TCL_ERROR);
   }
 
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ int tclcommand_metadynamics_parse_distance(Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, char **
     return (TCL_ERROR);
   }
   
-  if (dmin < 0 || dmax < 0 || dmax < dmin || bheight < 0 || bwidth < 0 || fbound < 0 || dbins < 0) {
+  if (dmin < 0 || dmax < 0 || dmax < dmin || bheight < 0 || bwidth < 0 || fbound < 0 || dbins < 0 || numrelaxationsteps <0) {
     Tcl_AppendResult(interp, "check parameters: inconcistency somewhere", (char *)NULL);
     return (TCL_ERROR);
   }
@@ -150,26 +150,27 @@ int tclcommand_metadynamics_parse_distance(Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, char **
   meta_xi_num_bins  = dbins;
 
   meta_switch = META_DIST;
+  meta_num_relaxation_steps = numrelaxationsteps;
 
   return (TCL_OK);
 }
 
 int tclcommand_metadynamics_parse_relative_z(Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, char **argv)
 {
-  int    pid1, pid2, dbins;
+  int    pid1, pid2, dbins, numrelaxationsteps;
   double dmin, dmax, bheight, bwidth, fbound;
 
   /* check number of arguments */
-  if (argc < 8) {
+  if (argc < 11) {
     Tcl_AppendResult(interp, "wrong # args:  should be \n\"",
-                     argv[0]," ",argv[1]," <pid1> <pid2> <z_min> <z_max> <b_height> <b_width> <f_bound> <z_bins>\"", (char *)NULL);
+                     argv[0]," ",argv[1]," <pid1> <pid2> <z_min> <z_max> <b_height> <b_width> <f_bound> <z_bins> <num_relaxation_steps>\"", (char *)NULL);
     return (TCL_ERROR);
   }
 
   /* check argument types */
   if ( !ARG_IS_I(2, pid1) || !ARG_IS_I(3, pid2) || !ARG_IS_D(4, dmin) || !ARG_IS_D(5, dmax) ||
-       !ARG_IS_D(6, bheight) || !ARG_IS_D(7, bwidth) || !ARG_IS_D(8, fbound) || !ARG_IS_I(9, dbins)) {
-    Tcl_AppendResult(interp, argv[0]," ",argv[1]," needs two INTS, five DOUBLES, and one INT", (char *)NULL);
+       !ARG_IS_D(6, bheight) || !ARG_IS_D(7, bwidth) || !ARG_IS_D(8, fbound) || !ARG_IS_I(9, dbins) || !ARG_IS_I(10, numrelaxationsteps) ) {
+    Tcl_AppendResult(interp, argv[0]," ",argv[1]," needs two INTS, five DOUBLES, and two INTS in this order", (char *)NULL);
     return (TCL_ERROR);
   }
 
@@ -178,7 +179,7 @@ int tclcommand_metadynamics_parse_relative_z(Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, char
     return (TCL_ERROR);
   }
 
-  if (dmax < dmin || bheight < 0 || bwidth < 0 || fbound < 0 || dbins < 0) {
+  if (dmax < dmin || bheight < 0 || bwidth < 0 || fbound < 0 || dbins < 0 || numrelaxationsteps <0) {
     Tcl_AppendResult(interp, "check parameters: inconcistency somewhere", (char *)NULL);
     return (TCL_ERROR);
   }
@@ -197,6 +198,7 @@ int tclcommand_metadynamics_parse_relative_z(Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, char
   meta_xi_num_bins  = dbins;
 
   meta_switch = META_REL_Z;
+  meta_num_relaxation_steps = numrelaxationsteps;
 
   return (TCL_OK);
 }
@@ -268,7 +270,7 @@ int tclcommand_metadynamics_parse_load_stat(Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, char *
   Tcl_ResetResult(interp);
   Tcl_SplitList(interp, argv[1], &tmp_argc, &tmp_argv);
   realloc_doublelist(&profile, profile.n = tmp_argc);
-  printf("profile.n %d, meta_xi_num_bins %d\n",profile.n,meta_xi_num_bins);
+  //printf("profile.n %d, meta_xi_num_bins %d\n",profile.n,meta_xi_num_bins);
   /* Now check that the number of items parsed is equal to the number of bins */
   /* If there's one extra line, assume it's an empty line */
   if (profile.n == meta_xi_num_bins+1)