diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4241f68..e160331 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -58,7 +58,14 @@ The available commands are
 
 * `uk`: to compute the Fourier transform of the solution.
 
-* `quiet`: does not print anything, useful for debugging.
+* `quiet`: does not print anything (useful for debugging).
+
+* `enstrophy_print_init`: to compute the enstrophy and various other
+  observables for the initial condition (useful for debugging). The command
+  prints
+  ```
+  alpha energy enstrophy
+  ```
 
 
 # Parameters
diff --git a/src/constants.cpp b/src/constants.cpp
index 4968dc7..a60dd8e 100644
--- a/src/constants.cpp
+++ b/src/constants.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ limitations under the License.
 #define COMMAND_QUIET 3
 #define COMMAND_RESUME 4
 #define COMMAND_LYAPUNOV 5
+#define COMMAND_ENSTROPHY_PRINT_INIT 6
 
 #define DRIVING_ZERO 1
 #define DRIVING_TEST 2
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 0933c2d..db932ba 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -325,6 +325,9 @@ int main (
     signal(SIGTERM, sig_handler);
     enstrophy(parameters.K1, parameters.K2, parameters.N1, parameters.N2, parameters.final_time, parameters.nu, parameters.delta, parameters.L, parameters.adaptive_tolerance, parameters.adaptive_factor, parameters.max_delta, parameters.adaptive_cost, u0, g, parameters.irreversible, parameters.keep_en_cst, parameters.init_enstrophy, parameters.algorithm, parameters.print_freq, parameters.starting_time, parameters.print_alpha, nthreads, savefile, utfile, (char*)argv[0], dstring_to_str_noinit(&param_str), dstring_to_str_noinit(&savefile_str), dstring_to_str_noinit(&utfile_str));
   }
+  else if(command==COMMAND_ENSTROPHY_PRINT_INIT){
+    enstrophy_print_init(parameters.K1, parameters.K2, parameters.L, u0, g);
+  }
   else if(command==COMMAND_QUIET){
     quiet(parameters.K1, parameters.K2, parameters.N1, parameters.N2, parameters.final_time, parameters.nu, parameters.delta, parameters.L, parameters.adaptive_tolerance, parameters.adaptive_factor, parameters.max_delta, parameters.adaptive_cost, parameters.starting_time, u0, g, parameters.irreversible, parameters.keep_en_cst, parameters.init_enstrophy, parameters.algorithm, nthreads, savefile);
   }
@@ -561,6 +564,9 @@ int read_args(
       else if(strcmp(argv[i], "enstrophy")==0){
 	*command=COMMAND_ENSTROPHY;
       }
+      else if(strcmp(argv[i], "enstrophy_print_init")==0){
+	*command=COMMAND_ENSTROPHY_PRINT_INIT;
+      }
       else if(strcmp(argv[i], "quiet")==0){
 	*command=COMMAND_QUIET;
       }
diff --git a/src/navier-stokes.c b/src/navier-stokes.c
index 38c9938..794850a 100644
--- a/src/navier-stokes.c
+++ b/src/navier-stokes.c
@@ -297,6 +297,25 @@ int enstrophy(
   return(0);
 }
 
+// compute enstrophy, alpha for the initial condition (useful for debugging)
+int enstrophy_print_init(
+  int K1,
+  int K2,
+  double L,
+  _Complex double* u0,
+  _Complex double* g
+){
+  double alpha, enstrophy, energy;
+
+  alpha=compute_alpha(u0, K1, K2, g, L);
+  enstrophy=compute_enstrophy(u0, K1, K2, L);
+  energy=compute_energy(u0, K1, K2);
+
+  // print
+  printf("% .15e % .15e % .15e\n", alpha, energy, enstrophy);
+  return(0);
+}
+
 // compute solution as a function of time, but do not print anything (useful for debugging)
 int quiet(
   int K1,
diff --git a/src/navier-stokes.h b/src/navier-stokes.h
index 8679327..df12246 100644
--- a/src/navier-stokes.h
+++ b/src/navier-stokes.h
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ int uk( int K1, int K2, int N1, int N2, double final_time, double nu, double del
 
 // compute enstrophy and alpha
 int enstrophy( int K1, int K2, int N1, int N2, double final_time, double nu, double delta, double L, double adaptive_tolerance, double adaptive_factor, double max_delta, unsigned int adaptive_cost, _Complex double* u0, _Complex double* g, bool irreversible, bool keep_en_cst, double target_en, unsigned int algorithm, double print_freq, double starting_time, bool print_alpha, unsigned int nthreads, FILE* savefile, FILE* utfile, const char* cmd_string, const char* params_string, const char* savefile_string, const char* utfile_string);
+// compute enstrophy, alpha for the initial condition (useful for debugging)
+int enstrophy_print_init( int K1, int K2, double L, _Complex double* u0, _Complex double* g);
 
 // compute solution as a function of time, but do not print anything (useful for debugging)
 int quiet( int K1, int K2, int N1, int N2, double final_time, double nu, double delta, double L, double adaptive_tolerance, double adaptive_factor, double max_delta, unsigned int adaptive_cost, double starting_time, _Complex double* u0, _Complex double* g, bool irreversible, bool keep_en_cst, double target_en, unsigned int algorithm, unsigned int nthreads, FILE* savefile);