diff --git a/src/sys/objects/pname.c b/src/sys/objects/pname.c
index a5f3a7f..e5bdc7f 100644
--- a/src/sys/objects/pname.c
+++ b/src/sys/objects/pname.c
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ PetscErrorCode PetscObjectPrintClassNamePrefixType(PetscObject obj,PetscViewer v
   if (!flg) PetscFunctionReturn(0);
 
   ierr = PetscViewerGetFormat(viewer,&format);CHKERRQ(ierr);
+  if (format == PETSC_VIEWER_ASCII_VTK || format == PETSC_VIEWER_ASCII_VTK_CELL || format == PETSC_VIEWER_ASCII_VTK_COORDS) PetscFunctionReturn(0);
+
   if (format == PETSC_VIEWER_ASCII_MATLAB) {ierr = PetscViewerASCIIPrintf(viewer,"%%");CHKERRQ(ierr);}
   ierr = PetscViewerASCIIPrintf(viewer,"%s Object:",obj->class_name);CHKERRQ(ierr);
   if (obj->name) {