diff --git a/lef/defWrite.c b/lef/defWrite.c
index def222be..acd15a73 100644
--- a/lef/defWrite.c
+++ b/lef/defWrite.c
@@ -84,10 +84,11 @@ char *defGetType();		/* Forward declaration */
  */
 
 void
-defWriteHeader(def, f, oscale)
+defWriteHeader(def, f, oscale, units)
     CellDef *def;	/* Def for which to generate DEF output */
     FILE *f;		/* Output to this file */
     float oscale;
+    int units;		/* Units for UNITS; could be derived from oscale */
 {
     TileType type;
 
@@ -113,10 +114,10 @@ defWriteHeader(def, f, oscale)
     /* technology).							*/
     fprintf(f, "   TECHNOLOGY %s ;\n", DBTechName);
 
-    /* As I understand it, this refers to the scalefactor of the GDS	*/
-    /* file output.  Magic does all GDS in nanometers, so the LEF	*/
-    /* scalefactor (conversion to microns) is always 1000.		*/
-    fprintf(f, "   UNITS DISTANCE MICRONS 1000 ;\n");
+    /* The DEF scalefactor (conversion to microns) is always 1000	*/
+    /* (nanometers) unless overridden on the command line.		*/
+
+    fprintf(f, "   UNITS DISTANCE MICRONS %d ;\n", units);
 
     /* Die area, taken from the cell def bounding box.			*/
     fprintf(f, "   DIEAREA ( %.10g %.10g ) ( %.10g %.10g ) ;\n", 
@@ -1864,10 +1865,10 @@ defMakeInverseLayerMap()
     TileType i;
     char *lefname;
 
-    lefMagicToLefLayer = (LefMapping *)mallocMagic(DBNumUserLayers
+    lefMagicToLefLayer = (LefMapping *)mallocMagic(DBNumTypes
 		* sizeof(LefMapping));
     memset(lefMagicToLefLayer, 0, sizeof(LefMapping) * TT_TECHDEPBASE);
-    for (i = TT_TECHDEPBASE; i < DBNumUserLayers; i++)
+    for (i = TT_TECHDEPBASE; i < DBNumTypes; i++)
     {
 	lefname = defGetType(i, &lefl);
 	lefMagicToLefLayer[i].lefName = lefname;
@@ -1916,23 +1917,28 @@ defMakeInverseLayerMap()
  */
 
 void
-DefWriteCell(def, outName, allSpecial)
+DefWriteCell(def, outName, allSpecial, units)
     CellDef *def;		/* Cell being written */
     char *outName;		/* Name of output file, or NULL. */
     bool allSpecial;		/* Treat all nets as SPECIALNETS? */
+    int units;			/* Force units to this value (default 1000) */
 {
     char *filename;
     FILE *f;
     NetCount nets;
     int total;
-    float scale = CIFGetOutputScale(1);	/* Note that "1" here corresponds
-					 * to "1000" in the header UNITS line
-					 */
+    float scale;
+
     LefMapping *lefMagicToLefLayer;
     int i;
     lefLayer *lefl;
     HashEntry *he;
 
+    /* Note that "1" corresponds to "1000" in the header UNITS line,	*/
+    /* or units of nanometers.  10 = centimicrons, 1000 = microns.	*/
+
+    scale = CIFGetOutputScale(1000 / units);
+
     f = lefFileOpen(def, outName, ".def", "w", &filename);
 
     TxPrintf("Generating DEF output %s for cell %s:\n", filename, def->cd_name);
@@ -1949,7 +1955,7 @@ DefWriteCell(def, outName, allSpecial)
 	return;
     }
 
-    defWriteHeader(def, f, scale);
+    defWriteHeader(def, f, scale, units);
 
     lefMagicToLefLayer = defMakeInverseLayerMap();
 
diff --git a/lef/lefCmd.c b/lef/lefCmd.c
index 86e390cf..546988db 100644
--- a/lef/lefCmd.c
+++ b/lef/lefCmd.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ CmdLef(w, cmd)
     MagWindow *w;
     TxCommand *cmd;
 {
-    int option, i, cargs;
+    int option, i, cargs, units = 1000;	    /* Default nanometers */
     char **msg, *namep;
     CellUse *selectedUse;
     CellDef *selectedDef;
@@ -219,6 +219,25 @@ CmdLef(w, cmd)
 			else
 			    TxPrintf("The \"-hide\" option is only for lef write\n");
 		    }
+		    else if (!strncmp(cmd->tx_argv[i], "-units", 5))
+		    {
+			if (is_lef)
+			    TxPrintf("The \"-units\" option is only for def write\n");
+			else
+			{
+			    i++;
+			    cargs--;
+			    if ((cmd->tx_argc < i) || (!StrIsInt(cmd->tx_argv[i])))
+			    {
+				TxPrintf("The \"-units\" option requires an argument.\n");
+			    }
+			    else
+			    {
+				units = atoi(cmd->tx_argv[i]);
+				// To do:  Check range of units
+			    }
+			}
+		    }
 		    else goto wrongNumArgs;
 		    cargs--;
 		}
@@ -236,7 +255,7 @@ CmdLef(w, cmd)
 	    else
 		namep = cmd->tx_argv[2];
 	    if (!is_lef)
-		DefWriteCell(selectedUse->cu_def, namep, allSpecial);
+		DefWriteCell(selectedUse->cu_def, namep, allSpecial, units);
 	    else
 		LefWriteCell(selectedUse->cu_def, namep, selectedUse->cu_def
 			== EditRootDef, lefTech, lefHide);