diff --git a/rmgpy/reaction.py b/rmgpy/reaction.py
index 7cd5511d14..a92c7f152c 100755
--- a/rmgpy/reaction.py
+++ b/rmgpy/reaction.py
@@ -192,10 +192,13 @@ def toChemkin(self, speciesList=None, kinetics=True):
         else:
             return rmgpy.chemkin.writeReactionString(self)
     
-    def toCantera(self, speciesList=None):
+    def toCantera(self, speciesList=None, useChemkinIdentifier = True):
         """
         Converts the RMG Reaction object to a Cantera Reaction object
         with the appropriate reaction class.
+
+        If useChemkinIdentifier is set to False, the species label is used
+        instead. Be sure that species' labels are unique when setting it False.
         """
         from rmgpy.kinetics import Arrhenius, ArrheniusEP, MultiArrhenius, PDepArrhenius, MultiPDepArrhenius, Chebyshev, ThirdBody, Lindemann, Troe
                     
@@ -208,14 +211,20 @@ def toCantera(self, speciesList=None):
         # for initializing the cantera reaction object
         ctReactants = {}
         for reactant in self.reactants:
-            reactantName = reactant.toChemkin()  # Use the chemkin name for the species
+            if useChemkinIdentifier:
+                reactantName = reactant.toChemkin()
+            else:
+                reactantName = reactant.label
             if reactantName in ctReactants:
                 ctReactants[reactantName] += 1
             else:
                 ctReactants[reactantName] = 1
         ctProducts = {}
         for product in self.products:
-            productName = product.toChemkin()  # Use the chemkin name for the species
+            if useChemkinIdentifier:
+                productName = product.toChemkin()
+            else:
+                productName = product.label
             if productName in ctProducts:
                 ctProducts[productName] += 1
             else:
diff --git a/rmgpy/species.py b/rmgpy/species.py
index c627b38ee1..fe14c7467b 100644
--- a/rmgpy/species.py
+++ b/rmgpy/species.py
@@ -257,10 +257,13 @@ def toChemkin(self):
         from rmgpy.chemkin import getSpeciesIdentifier
         return getSpeciesIdentifier(self)
         
-    def toCantera(self):
+    def toCantera(self, useChemkinIdentifier = True):
         """
         Converts the RMG Species object to a Cantera Species object
         with the appropriate thermo data.
+
+        If useChemkinIdentifier is set to False, the species label is used
+        instead. Be sure that species' labels are unique when setting it False.
         """
         import cantera as ct
         
@@ -273,8 +276,10 @@ def toCantera(self):
                 elementDict[symbol] = 1
             else:
                 elementDict[symbol] += 1
-        
-        ctSpecies = ct.Species(self.toChemkin(), elementDict)
+        if useChemkinIdentifier:
+            ctSpecies = ct.Species(self.toChemkin(), elementDict)
+        else:
+            ctSpecies = ct.Species(self.label, elementDict)
         if self.thermo:
             try:
                 ctSpecies.thermo = self.thermo.toCantera()