diff --git a/gstlal-inspiral/bin/gstlal_inspiral_calc_rank_pdfs b/gstlal-inspiral/bin/gstlal_inspiral_calc_rank_pdfs
index 98cc129a06c8ef7d4baf1ffcd02d7b40a6146e20..538db381480636601c10ee316ca16082d4c1e9bd 100755
--- a/gstlal-inspiral/bin/gstlal_inspiral_calc_rank_pdfs
+++ b/gstlal-inspiral/bin/gstlal_inspiral_calc_rank_pdfs
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 
 
 from optparse import OptionParser
+import random
 
 
 from ligo.lw import ligolw
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ def parse_command_line():
 	parser.add_option("--ranking-stat-samples", metavar = "N", default = 2**24, type = "int", help = "Construct ranking statistic histograms by drawing this many samples from the ranking statistic generator (default = 2^24).")
 	parser.add_option("-j", "--num-cores", metavar = "cores", default = 4, type = "int", help = "Number of cores to use when constructing ranking statistic histograms (default = 4 cores).")
 	parser.add_option("--add-zerolag-to-background", action = "store_true", help = "Add zerolag events to background before populating coincident parameter PDF histograms")
+	parser.add_option("--seed", default = 10, type = "int", help = "Set the seed for the sampling done in rankingstat.denominator.random_params")
 	parser.add_option("--output", metavar = "filename", help = "Write merged raw likelihood data and likelihood ratio histograms to this LIGO Light-Weight XML file.")
 	options, urls = parser.parse_args()
 
@@ -93,6 +95,14 @@ def parse_command_line():
 options, urls, paramdict = parse_command_line()
 
 
+#
+# set the seed
+#
+
+
+random.seed(options.seed)
+
+
 #
 # load parameter distribution data
 #