diff --git a/include/cantera/thermo/SpeciesThermoFactory.h b/include/cantera/thermo/SpeciesThermoFactory.h
index 80fb0e05d..4fe41382f 100644
--- a/include/cantera/thermo/SpeciesThermoFactory.h
+++ b/include/cantera/thermo/SpeciesThermoFactory.h
@@ -157,6 +157,9 @@ public:
      * @param spthermo_ptr  Species reference state thermo manager
      * @param phaseNode_ptr Optional Pointer to the XML phase information for
      *                      the phase in which the species resides
+     * @deprecated To be removed after Cantera 2.2. Use the alternate form
+     *             which omits the unused arguments 'vpss_ptr' and
+     *             'spthermo_ptr'.
      */
     void installVPThermoForSpecies(size_t k, const XML_Node& speciesNode,
                                    VPStandardStateTP* vp_ptr,
@@ -164,6 +167,26 @@ public:
                                    SpeciesThermo* spthermo_ptr,
                                    const XML_Node* phaseNode_ptr) const;
 
+    //! Install a species thermodynamic property parameterization for the
+    //! standard state for one species into a species thermo manager, VPSSMgr
+    /*!
+     * This is a wrapper around the createInstallVPSS() function in the
+     * VPStandardStateTP object.
+     *
+     * This serves to install the species into vpss_ptr, create a PDSS file. We
+     * also read the xml database to extract the constants for these steps.
+     *
+     * @param k             species number
+     * @param speciesNode   Reference to the XML node specifying the species
+     *                      standard state information
+     * @param vp_ptr        variable pressure ThermoPhase object
+     * @param phaseNode_ptr Optional Pointer to the XML phase information for
+     *                      the phase in which the species resides
+     */
+    void installVPThermoForSpecies(size_t k, const XML_Node& speciesNode,
+                                   VPStandardStateTP* vp_ptr,
+                                   const XML_Node* phaseNode_ptr) const;
+
 private:
 
     //! Pointer to the sole instance of this class, which is static
diff --git a/src/thermo/SpeciesThermoFactory.cpp b/src/thermo/SpeciesThermoFactory.cpp
index 89ff0ca5d..85799d793 100644
--- a/src/thermo/SpeciesThermoFactory.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/SpeciesThermoFactory.cpp
@@ -755,7 +755,9 @@ void SpeciesThermoFactory::installVPThermoForSpecies(size_t k,
     SpeciesThermo* spthermo_ptr,
     const XML_Node* phaseNode_ptr) const
 {
-
+    warn_deprecated("SpeciesThermoFactory::installVPThermoForSpecies",
+                    "Use alternate overload without unused VPSSMgr* and "
+                    "SpeciesThermo* arguments.");
     // Call the VPStandardStateTP object to install the pressure dependent species
     // standard state into the object.
     //
@@ -767,6 +769,15 @@ void SpeciesThermoFactory::installVPThermoForSpecies(size_t k,
     vp_ptr->createInstallPDSS(k, speciesNode,  phaseNode_ptr);
 }
 
+void SpeciesThermoFactory::installVPThermoForSpecies(size_t k,
+    const XML_Node& speciesNode, VPStandardStateTP* vp_ptr,
+    const XML_Node* phaseNode_ptr) const
+{
+    // Call the VPStandardStateTP object to install the pressure dependent
+    // species standard state into the object.
+    vp_ptr->createInstallPDSS(k, speciesNode,  phaseNode_ptr);
+}
+
 SpeciesThermo* newSpeciesThermoMgr(int type, SpeciesThermoFactory* f)
 {
     if (f == 0) {
diff --git a/src/thermo/ThermoFactory.cpp b/src/thermo/ThermoFactory.cpp
index b79db0b12..fe36838f7 100644
--- a/src/thermo/ThermoFactory.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/ThermoFactory.cpp
@@ -655,8 +655,7 @@ bool installSpecies(size_t k, const XML_Node& s, thermo_t& th,
 
     if (vpss_ptr) {
         VPStandardStateTP* vp_ptr = dynamic_cast<VPStandardStateTP*>(&th);
-        factory->installVPThermoForSpecies(k, s, vp_ptr, vpss_ptr, spthermo_ptr,
-                                           phaseNode_ptr);
+        factory->installVPThermoForSpecies(k, s, vp_ptr, phaseNode_ptr);
     } else {
         // install the thermo parameterization for this species into
         // the species thermo manager for phase th