diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/dbffile.cpp b/plugins/input/shape/dbffile.cpp
index 16c2cca15..cb6f40760 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/dbffile.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/dbffile.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,11 @@ dbf_file::dbf_file(std::string const& file_name)
    :num_records_(0),
     num_fields_(0),
     record_length_(0),
+#ifdef SHAPE_MEMORY_MAPPED_FILE
+    file_(file_name),
+#else
     file_(file_name,std::ios::in | std::ios::binary),
+#endif
     record_(0)
 {
    if (file_.is_open())
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/shapefile.hpp b/plugins/input/shape/shapefile.hpp
index 8a6e0c566..3c123d4ee 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/shapefile.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/shapefile.hpp
@@ -147,8 +147,14 @@ public:
     shape_file() {}
 
     shape_file(std::string  const& file_name)
-        : file_(file_name,std::ios::in | std::ios::binary) {}
-
+        : 
+#ifdef SHAPE_MEMORY_MAPPED_FILE
+        file_(file_name)
+#else
+        file_(file_name,std::ios::in | std::ios::binary)
+#endif
+    {}
+    
     ~shape_file() {}
 
     inline bool is_open()