diff --git a/virtualsmartcard/src/vpicc/Example_Dataset_Mueller_Gertrud.txt b/virtualsmartcard/src/vpicc/Example_Dataset_Mueller_Gertrud.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7f085fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/virtualsmartcard/src/vpicc/Example_Dataset_Mueller_Gertrud.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# This is an example dataset file vor the virtual smartcard.
+# Datagroups are just given in plain ascii, separated by =.
+# CommunityID has to be given as hex values enclosed with ' '.
+# The File is passed to the virtual smartcard emulator via
+# command line option -d, with or without path.
+#
+DocumentType=ID
+IssuingState=D
+DateOfExpiry=20201031
+GivenNames = Gertrud
+FamilyNames=Mueller
+ReligiousArtisticName=ǏǐǑǒǓǔǞǟǤǥǦǧǨǩǪǫǬǭǮǯǰǴǵǺǻǼǽǾǿȘșȚțȞȟȪȫȮȯȰ
+AcademicTitle=
+DateOfBirth=19530304
+PlaceOfBirth= BERLIN FRIEDENAU
+Nationality=DE
+Sex=F
+Country=D
+City=BREMEN
+ZIP=28195
+Street =STADTMUSIKANTENWEG 12a
+CommunityID='\x02\x76\x03\x02\x54\x00\x21'
diff --git a/virtualsmartcard/src/vpicc/vicc.in b/virtualsmartcard/src/vpicc/vicc.in
index 170467e..5fd7b53 100644
--- a/virtualsmartcard/src/vpicc/vicc.in
+++ b/virtualsmartcard/src/vpicc/vicc.in
@@ -45,6 +45,16 @@ parser.add_argument("-f", "--file",
         action="store",
         type=argparse.FileType('r'),
         help="load a saved smart card image")
+parser.add_argument("-d", "--datasetfile",
+        action="store",
+        help="Load the smartcard's data groups (DGs) from the specified dataset file. For DGs not in dataset file default values are used. \
+The data groups in the data set file must have the following syntax: \
+--------------------------------------------------- Datagroupname=Datagroupvalue \
+--------------------------------------------------- \
+For Example: GivenNames=GERTRUD. \
+The following Dataset Elements may be used in the dataset file: \
+DocumentType, IssuingState, DateOfExpiry, GivenNames, FamilyNames, ReligiousArtisticName, AcademicTitle, DateOfBirth, PlaceOfBirth, Nationality, Sex, Country, City, ZIP, Street, CommunityID, dg12, dg13, dg14, dg15, dg16, dg19, dg20, dg21.\
+")
 parser.add_argument("-H", "--hostname",
         action="store",
         type=str,
@@ -126,7 +136,7 @@ if args.reversed:
 else:
     hostname = args.hostname
 
-vicc = VirtualICC(args.file, args.type,
+vicc = VirtualICC(args.file, args.datasetfile, args.type,
         hostname, args.port, readernum=args.reader,
         ef_cardaccess=ef_cardaccess_data, ef_cardsecurity=ef_cardsecurity_data,
         ca_key=ca_key_data, cvca=cvca, disable_checks=args.disable_ta_checks, logginglevel=logginglevel)
diff --git a/virtualsmartcard/src/vpicc/virtualsmartcard/VirtualSmartcard.py b/virtualsmartcard/src/vpicc/virtualsmartcard/VirtualSmartcard.py
index 902e075..33eddf4 100644
--- a/virtualsmartcard/src/vpicc/virtualsmartcard/VirtualSmartcard.py
+++ b/virtualsmartcard/src/vpicc/virtualsmartcard/VirtualSmartcard.py
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ class VirtualICC(object):
     the vpcd, which forwards it to the application.
     """ 
     
-    def __init__(self, filename, card_type, host, port, readernum=None, ef_cardsecurity=None, ef_cardaccess=None, ca_key=None, cvca=None, disable_checks=False, logginglevel=logging.INFO):
+    def __init__(self, filename, datasetfile, card_type, host, port, readernum=None, ef_cardsecurity=None, ef_cardaccess=None, ca_key=None, cvca=None, disable_checks=False, logginglevel=logging.INFO):
         from os.path import exists
         
         logging.basicConfig(level = logginglevel, 
@@ -647,7 +647,17 @@ class VirtualICC(object):
             else:
                 logging.info("Creating new card which will be saved in %s.",
                               self.filename)
-        
+
+        #If a dataset file is specified, read the card's data groups from disk
+        if datasetfile != None:
+        if exists(datasetfile):
+                logging.info("Reading Data Groups from file %s.",
+                            datasetfile)
+                self.cardGenerator.readDatagroups(datasetfile)
+        else:
+                logging.info("Data Set File %s not found, using default values for datagroups.",
+                            self.datasetfile)
+
         MF, SAM = self.cardGenerator.getCard()
         
         #Generate an OS object of the correct card_type