diff --git a/lib/damask/asciitable.py b/lib/damask/asciitable.py
index c082739fa..f6fdab056 100644
--- a/lib/damask/asciitable.py
+++ b/lib/damask/asciitable.py
@@ -43,6 +43,10 @@ class ASCIItable():
     except:
       return 0.0
 
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------
+  def input_close(self):
+    return self.__IO__['in'].close()
+
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------
   def output_write(self,
                    what):
@@ -73,6 +77,10 @@ class ASCIItable():
   def output_clear(self):
     self.__IO__['output'] = []
 
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------
+  def output_close(self):
+    return self.__IO__['out'].close()
+
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------
   def head_read(self):
     '''