diff --git a/src/aiori-IME.c b/src/aiori-IME.c
index ef7b3cf..b6cef34 100755
--- a/src/aiori-IME.c
+++ b/src/aiori-IME.c
@@ -54,6 +54,33 @@ static int          IME_Stat(const char *, struct stat *, IOR_param_t *);
 static void         IME_Initialize();
 static void         IME_Finalize();
 
+
+/************************** O P T I O N S *****************************/
+typedef struct{
+  int direct_io;
+} ime_options_t;
+
+
+option_help * IME_options(void ** init_backend_options, void * init_values){
+  ime_options_t * o = malloc(sizeof(ime_options_t));
+
+  if (init_values != NULL){
+    memcpy(o, init_values, sizeof(ime_options_t));
+  }else{
+    o->direct_io = 0;
+  }
+
+  *init_backend_options = o;
+
+  option_help h [] = {
+    {0, "ime.odirect", "Direct I/O Mode", OPTION_FLAG, 'd', & o->direct_io},
+    LAST_OPTION
+  };
+  option_help * help = malloc(sizeof(h));
+  memcpy(help, h, sizeof(h));
+  return help;
+}
+
 /************************** D E C L A R A T I O N S ***************************/
 
 extern int      rank;
@@ -79,6 +106,7 @@ ior_aiori_t ime_aiori = {
         .stat          = IME_Stat,
         .initialize    = IME_Initialize,
         .finalize      = IME_Finalize,
+        .get_options   = IME_options,
         .enable_mdtest = true,
 };
 
@@ -130,8 +158,10 @@ static void *IME_Open(char *testFileName, IOR_param_t *param)
         if (fd == NULL)
                 ERR("Unable to malloc file descriptor");
 
-        if (param->useO_DIRECT)
-                set_o_direct_flag(&fd_oflag);
+        ime_options_t * o = (ime_options_t*) param->backend_options;
+        if (o->direct_io == TRUE){
+          set_o_direct_flag(&fd_oflag);
+        }
 
         if (param->openFlags & IOR_RDONLY)
                 fd_oflag |= O_RDONLY;