diff --git a/src/Main/fg_io.cxx b/src/Main/fg_io.cxx
index 458f956c6..e3514841e 100644
--- a/src/Main/fg_io.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/fg_io.cxx
@@ -108,6 +108,11 @@ FGIO::parse_port_config( const string& config )
 	if ( protocol == "atc610x" ) {
             FGATC610x *atc610x = new FGATC610x;
 	    atc610x->set_hz( 30 );
+            if ( tokens.size() > 1 ) {
+                if ( tokens[1] == "no-rudder" ) {
+                    atc610x->set_use_rudder( false );
+                }
+            }
 	    return atc610x;
 	} else if ( protocol == "atlas" ) {
 	    FGAtlas *atlas = new FGAtlas;
diff --git a/src/Main/options.cxx b/src/Main/options.cxx
index e4b273bfd..2db0c79a1 100644
--- a/src/Main/options.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/options.cxx
@@ -1153,7 +1153,7 @@ struct OptionDesc {
     {"start-date-gmt",               true,  OPTION_FUNC,   "", false, "", fgOptStartDateGmt },
     {"hud-tris",                     false, OPTION_STRING, "/sim/hud/frame-stat-type", false, "tris", 0 },
     {"hud-culled",                   false, OPTION_STRING, "/sim/hud/frame-stat-type", false, "culled", 0 },
-    {"atc610x",                      false, OPTION_CHANNEL, "", false, "dummy", 0 },
+    {"atc610x",                      true,  OPTION_CHANNEL, "", false, "dummy", 0 },
     {"atlas",                        true,  OPTION_CHANNEL, "", false, "", 0 },
     {"httpd",                        true,  OPTION_CHANNEL, "", false, "", 0 },
 #ifdef FG_JPEG_SERVER