diff --git a/vms/c++/test/check.com b/vms/c++/test/check.com
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ec536944dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vms/c++/test/check.com
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+$!#
+$!# Copyright by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.
+$!# All rights reserved.
+$!#
+$!# This file is part of HDF5.  The full HDF5 copyright notice, including
+$!# terms governing use, modification, and redistribution, is contained in
+$!# the files COPYING and Copyright.html.  COPYING can be found at the root
+$!# of the source code distribution tree; Copyright.html can be found at the
+$!# root level of an installed copy of the electronic HDF5 document set and
+$!# is linked from the top-level documents page.  It can also be found at
+$!# http://hdf.ncsa.uiuc.edu/HDF5/doc/Copyright.html.  If you do not have
+$!# access to either file, you may request a copy from hdfhelp@ncsa.uiuc.edu.
+$!#
+$! Makefile for VMS systems.
+$!
+$! Command file to run C++ tests
+$!
+$ type sys$input
+ 	Running C++ tests
+$!
+$ run testhdf5
+$ run dsets
+$ exit
diff --git a/vms/c++/test/make.com b/vms/c++/test/make.com
index 271a9becbe..1d621fdb83 100644
--- a/vms/c++/test/make.com
+++ b/vms/c++/test/make.com
@@ -15,14 +15,13 @@ $! Makefile for VMS systems.
 $!
 $! Make HDF5 C++ library tests
 $!
-$ ccopt = "/float=ieee_float/standard=strict_ansi"
+$! cxxopt = "/float=ieee_float/standard=strict_ansi/define=H5_VMS"
 $
-$ ccc := cxx 'ccopt /debug/define=H5_VMS/include=([-.-.src], [-.-.test], [-.src])
-$ 
+$ ccc := cxx 'cxxopt /include=([-.-.src], [-.-.test], [-.src])
+$! 
 $!
 $ cxxobj1= "testhdf5, tattr, tfile, th5s, h5cpputil"
 $ cxxobj2= "dsets, h5cpputil"
-
 $!                               
 $ ccc testhdf5 
 $ ccc tattr
@@ -34,16 +33,14 @@ $ type sys$input
 $ cxxlink  testhdf5,tattr,tfile, th5s, h5cpputil, -
            [-.src]hdf5_cplus.olb/lib, [-.-.test]libh5test.olb/lib, -
            [-.-.src]hdf5.olb/lib
-$
-$                               
+$!
+$ !                              
 $ ccc dsets
 $ type sys$input
-$       Creating dsets
+        Creating dsets
 $ cxxlink  dsets, h5cpputil, -
            [-.src]hdf5_cplus.olb/lib, [-.-.test]libh5test.olb/lib, -
            [-.-.src]hdf5.olb/lib
 $ type sys$input
- 	Created dsets
-$!
-$ run testhdf5
-$ run dsets
+ 	Done
+$ exit