diff --git a/test/data/dummy-thermo.dat b/test/data/dummy-thermo.dat
index 07bf26334..ed613ad28 100644
--- a/test/data/dummy-thermo.dat
+++ b/test/data/dummy-thermo.dat
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@ H                       H   1               G   200.000  3500.000  1000.000    1
  2.50000001E+00-2.30842973E-11 1.61561948E-14-4.73515235E-18 4.98197357E-22    2
  2.54736599E+04-4.46682914E-01 2.50000000E+00 7.05332819E-13-1.99591964E-15    3
  2.30081632E-18-9.27732332E-22 2.54736599E+04-4.46682853E-01                   4
-
+AR                120186AR  1               G   300.000  5000.000  1000.000    1
+ 0.02500000E+02 0.00000000E+00 0.00000000E+00 0.00000000E+00 0.00000000E+00    2
+-0.07453750E+04 0.04366000E+02 0.02500000E+02 0.00000000E+00 0.00000000E+00    3
+ 0.00000000E+00 0.00000000E+00-0.07453750E+04 0.04366000E+02                   4
 R1A                     C   1H   4          G   200.000  3500.000  1000.000    1
  7.48514950E-02 1.33909467E-02-5.73285809E-06 1.22292535E-09-1.01815230E-13    2
 -9.46834459E+03 1.84373180E+01 5.14987613E+00-1.36709788E-02 4.91800599E-05    3
diff --git a/test/data/explicit-forward-order.inp b/test/data/explicit-forward-order.inp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0c0915fb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/data/explicit-forward-order.inp
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+ELEMENTS
+H  C   AR
+END
+
+SPECIES
+H
+AR
+R1A R1B P1
+END
+
+REACTIONS
+
+R1A+R1B=>H+P1              1e12  0.0   20000.0
+  FORD / R1A 1.5 /
+  FORD / R1B 0.5 /
+
+H+P1=>R1A+R1B             5e13 -2.0 5000.0
+  FORD / P1 0.2 /
+
+END
diff --git a/test/data/explicit-forward-order.xml b/test/data/explicit-forward-order.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..549a43706
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/data/explicit-forward-order.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<ctml>
+  <validate reactions="yes" species="yes"/>
+
+  <!-- phase gas     -->
+  <phase dim="3" id="gas">
+    <elementArray datasrc="elements.xml">H C Ar</elementArray>
+    <speciesArray datasrc="#species_data">H    AR   R1A  R1B  P1</speciesArray>
+    <reactionArray datasrc="#reaction_data"/>
+    <state>
+      <temperature units="K">300.0</temperature>
+      <pressure units="Pa">101325.0</pressure>
+    </state>
+    <thermo model="IdealGas"/>
+    <kinetics model="GasKinetics"/>
+    <transport model="None"/>
+  </phase>
+
+  <!-- species definitions     -->
+  <speciesData id="species_data">
+
+    <!-- species H    -->
+    <species name="H">
+      <atomArray>H:1 </atomArray>
+      <thermo>
+        <NASA Tmax="1000.0" Tmin="200.0" P0="100000.0">
+           <floatArray name="coeffs" size="7">
+             2.500000000E+00,   7.053328190E-13,  -1.995919640E-15,   2.300816320E-18, 
+             -9.277323320E-22,   2.547365990E+04,  -4.466828530E-01</floatArray>
+        </NASA>
+        <NASA Tmax="3500.0" Tmin="1000.0" P0="100000.0">
+           <floatArray name="coeffs" size="7">
+             2.500000010E+00,  -2.308429730E-11,   1.615619480E-14,  -4.735152350E-18, 
+             4.981973570E-22,   2.547365990E+04,  -4.466829140E-01</floatArray>
+        </NASA>
+      </thermo>
+    </species>
+
+    <!-- species AR    -->
+    <species name="AR">
+      <atomArray>Ar:1 </atomArray>
+      <note>120186</note>
+      <thermo>
+        <NASA Tmax="1000.0" Tmin="300.0" P0="100000.0">
+           <floatArray name="coeffs" size="7">
+             2.500000000E+00,   0.000000000E+00,   0.000000000E+00,   0.000000000E+00, 
+             0.000000000E+00,  -7.453750000E+02,   4.366000000E+00</floatArray>
+        </NASA>
+        <NASA Tmax="5000.0" Tmin="1000.0" P0="100000.0">
+           <floatArray name="coeffs" size="7">
+             2.500000000E+00,   0.000000000E+00,   0.000000000E+00,   0.000000000E+00, 
+             0.000000000E+00,  -7.453750000E+02,   4.366000000E+00</floatArray>
+        </NASA>
+      </thermo>
+    </species>
+
+    <!-- species R1A    -->
+    <species name="R1A">
+      <atomArray>H:4 C:1 </atomArray>
+      <thermo>
+        <NASA Tmax="1000.0" Tmin="200.0" P0="100000.0">
+           <floatArray name="coeffs" size="7">
+             5.149876130E+00,  -1.367097880E-02,   4.918005990E-05,  -4.847430260E-08, 
+             1.666939560E-11,  -1.024664760E+04,  -4.641303760E+00</floatArray>
+        </NASA>
+        <NASA Tmax="3500.0" Tmin="1000.0" P0="100000.0">
+           <floatArray name="coeffs" size="7">
+             7.485149500E-02,   1.339094670E-02,  -5.732858090E-06,   1.222925350E-09, 
+             -1.018152300E-13,  -9.468344590E+03,   1.843731800E+01</floatArray>
+        </NASA>
+      </thermo>
+    </species>
+
+    <!-- species R1B    -->
+    <species name="R1B">
+      <atomArray>H:4 C:1 </atomArray>
+      <thermo>
+        <NASA Tmax="1000.0" Tmin="200.0" P0="100000.0">
+           <floatArray name="coeffs" size="7">
+             5.149876130E+00,  -1.367097880E-02,   4.918005990E-05,  -4.847430260E-08, 
+             1.666939560E-11,  -1.024664760E+04,  -4.641303760E+00</floatArray>
+        </NASA>
+        <NASA Tmax="3500.0" Tmin="1000.0" P0="100000.0">
+           <floatArray name="coeffs" size="7">
+             7.485149500E-02,   1.339094670E-02,  -5.732858090E-06,   1.222925350E-09, 
+             -1.018152300E-13,  -9.468344590E+03,   1.843731800E+01</floatArray>
+        </NASA>
+      </thermo>
+    </species>
+
+    <!-- species P1    -->
+    <species name="P1">
+      <atomArray>H:7 C:2 </atomArray>
+      <thermo>
+        <NASA Tmax="1000.0" Tmin="200.0" P0="100000.0">
+           <floatArray name="coeffs" size="7">
+             5.149876130E+00,  -1.367097880E-02,   4.918005990E-05,  -4.847430260E-08, 
+             1.666939560E-11,  -1.024664760E+04,  -4.641303760E+00</floatArray>
+        </NASA>
+        <NASA Tmax="3500.0" Tmin="1000.0" P0="100000.0">
+           <floatArray name="coeffs" size="7">
+             7.485149500E-02,   1.339094670E-02,  -5.732858090E-06,   1.222925350E-09, 
+             -1.018152300E-13,  -9.468344590E+03,   1.843731800E+01</floatArray>
+        </NASA>
+      </thermo>
+    </species>
+  </speciesData>
+  <reactionData id="reaction_data">
+
+    <!-- reaction 0001    -->
+    <reaction reversible="no" id="0001">
+      <equation>R1A + R1B =] H + P1</equation>
+      <order species="R1B">0.5</order>
+      <order species="R1A">1.5</order>
+      <rateCoeff>
+        <Arrhenius>
+           <A>1.000000E+09</A>
+           <b>0.0</b>
+           <E units="cal/mol">20000.000000</E>
+        </Arrhenius>
+      </rateCoeff>
+      <reactants>R1B:1 R1A:1.0</reactants>
+      <products>H:1.0 P1:1</products>
+    </reaction>
+
+    <!-- reaction 0002    -->
+    <reaction reversible="no" id="0002">
+      <equation>H + P1 =] R1A + R1B</equation>
+      <order species="H">1.0</order>
+      <order species="P1">0.2</order>
+      <rateCoeff>
+        <Arrhenius>
+           <A>1.255943E+13</A>
+           <b>-2.0</b>
+           <E units="cal/mol">5000.000000</E>
+        </Arrhenius>
+      </rateCoeff>
+      <reactants>H:1.0 P1:1</reactants>
+      <products>R1B:1 R1A:1.0</products>
+    </reaction>
+  </reactionData>
+</ctml>
diff --git a/test/python/testConvert.py b/test/python/testConvert.py
index 1c3486473..4ce71715a 100644
--- a/test/python/testConvert.py
+++ b/test/python/testConvert.py
@@ -143,3 +143,13 @@ class chemkinConverterTest(utilities.CanteraTest):
         Pstoich = gas.productStoichCoeffs()
         self.assertEqual(list(Rstoich[:,0]), list(Pstoich[:,1]))
         self.assertEqual(list(Rstoich[:,1]), list(Pstoich[:,0]))
+
+    def test_explicit_forward_order(self):
+        if os.path.exists('explicit-forward-order.cti'):
+            os.remove('explicit-forward-order.cti')
+        ck2cti.convertMech('../data/explicit-forward-order.inp',
+                           thermoFile='../data/dummy-thermo.dat',
+                           outName='explicit-forward-order.cti', quiet=True)
+        ref, gas = self.checkConversion('../data/explicit-forward-order.xml',
+                                        'explicit-forward-order.cti')
+        self.checkKinetics(ref, gas, [300, 800, 1450, 2800], [5e3, 1e5, 2e6])