diff --git a/doc/USER_GUIDE b/doc/USER_GUIDE
index 7ea6e49..6a6cf18 100755
--- a/doc/USER_GUIDE
+++ b/doc/USER_GUIDE
@@ -170,6 +170,8 @@ GENERAL:
                            NOTE: it does not delay before a check write or
                                  check read
 
+  * interIODelay         - this time in us (microseconds) after each I/O simulates computing time.
+
   * outlierThreshold     - gives warning if any task is more than this number
                            of seconds from the mean of all participating tasks.
                            If so, the task is identified, its time (start,
diff --git a/src/ior.c b/src/ior.c
index e8c477f..9a72080 100755
--- a/src/ior.c
+++ b/src/ior.c
@@ -1839,11 +1839,17 @@ static IOR_offset_t WriteOrReadSingle(IOR_offset_t pairCnt, IOR_offset_t *offset
                   backend->xfer(access, fd, buffer, transfer, test);
           if (amtXferred != transfer)
                   ERR("cannot write to file");
+          if (test->interIODelay > 0){
+            usleep(test->interIODelay);
+          }
   } else if (access == READ) {
           amtXferred =
                   backend->xfer(access, fd, buffer, transfer, test);
           if (amtXferred != transfer)
                   ERR("cannot read from file");
+          if (test->interIODelay > 0){
+            usleep(test->interIODelay);
+          }
   } else if (access == WRITECHECK) {
           memset(checkBuffer, 'a', transfer);
 
diff --git a/src/ior.h b/src/ior.h
index e76a64d..5672c9c 100755
--- a/src/ior.h
+++ b/src/ior.h
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ typedef struct
     int repCounter;                  /* rep counter */
     int multiFile;                   /* multiple files */
     int interTestDelay;              /* delay between reps in seconds */
+    int interIODelay;                /* delay after each I/O in us */
     int open;                        /* flag for writing or reading */
     int readFile;                    /* read of existing file */
     int writeFile;                   /* write of file */
diff --git a/src/parse_options.c b/src/parse_options.c
index 74038fa..be6b732 100755
--- a/src/parse_options.c
+++ b/src/parse_options.c
@@ -167,6 +167,8 @@ void DecodeDirective(char *line, IOR_param_t *params)
                 params->repetitions = atoi(value);
         } else if (strcasecmp(option, "intertestdelay") == 0) {
                 params->interTestDelay = atoi(value);
+        } else if (strcasecmp(option, "interiodelay") == 0) {
+                params->interIODelay = atoi(value);
         } else if (strcasecmp(option, "readfile") == 0) {
                 params->readFile = atoi(value);
         } else if (strcasecmp(option, "writefile") == 0) {