diff --git a/dox/user_guides/step/step.md b/dox/user_guides/step/step.md
index 5d6b238dce..1317b030d3 100644
--- a/dox/user_guides/step/step.md
+++ b/dox/user_guides/step/step.md
@@ -863,6 +863,22 @@ See description of parameter read.step.resource.name above for more details on u
 Default values:  
 * read.step.resource.name - STEP, 
 * read.step.sequence - ToSTEP.
+
+<h4>write.step.vertex.mode</h4>
+This parameter indicates which of free vertices writing mode is switch on. 
+* 0 (One Compound) : (default)  All free vertices are united into one compound and exported in one SHAPE DEFINITION REPRESENTATION (vertex name and style are lost). 
+* 1 (Single Vertex) : Each vertex exported in its own SHAPE DEFINITION REPRESENTATION (vertex name and style are not lost, but size of STEP file increases). 
+
+Read this parameter with: 
+~~~~~
+Standard_Integer ic = Interface_Static::IVal("write.step.vertex.mode"); 
+~~~~~
+Modify this parameter with: 
+~~~~~
+if(!Interface_Static::SetIVal("write.step.vertex.mode",1))  
+.. error .. 
+~~~~~
+Default value is 0. 
  
 @subsubsection occt_step_3_3_3 Performing the Open CASCADE Technology shape translation
 An OCCT shape can be translated to STEP using one of the following models (shape_representations): 
diff --git a/src/QABugs/QABugs_19.cxx b/src/QABugs/QABugs_19.cxx
index aa5c34d64b..e108b6fc8d 100755
--- a/src/QABugs/QABugs_19.cxx
+++ b/src/QABugs/QABugs_19.cxx
@@ -1806,8 +1806,8 @@ static Standard_Integer OCC23951 (Draw_Interpretor& di, Standard_Integer argc, c
 //=======================================================================
 static Standard_Integer OCC23950 (Draw_Interpretor& di, Standard_Integer argc, const char ** argv)
 {
-  if (argc != 1) {
-    di << "Usage: " << argv[0] << " invalid number of arguments" << "\n";
+  if (argc != 2) {
+    di << "Usage : " << argv[0] << " step_file\n";
     return 1;
   }
 
@@ -1837,7 +1837,7 @@ static Standard_Integer OCC23950 (Draw_Interpretor& di, Standard_Integer argc, c
     return 1;
   }
 
-  writer.Write ("test_point_assembly.step");
+  writer.Write (argv[1]);
   return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2687,7 +2687,7 @@ void QABugs::Commands_19(Draw_Interpretor& theCommands) {
   theCommands.Add ("OCC23951", "OCC23951", __FILE__, OCC23951, group);
   theCommands.Add ("OCC24931", "OCC24931", __FILE__, OCC24931, group);
   theCommands.Add ("OCC24945", "OCC24945", __FILE__, OCC24945, group);
-  theCommands.Add ("OCC23950", "OCC23950", __FILE__, OCC23950, group);
+  theCommands.Add ("OCC23950", "OCC23950 step_file", __FILE__, OCC23950, group);
   theCommands.Add ("OCC25004", "OCC25004", __FILE__, OCC25004, group);
   theCommands.Add ("OCC24925",
                    "OCC24925 filename [pluginLib=TKXml storageGuid retrievalGuid]"
diff --git a/src/STEPControl/STEPControl_ActorWrite.cxx b/src/STEPControl/STEPControl_ActorWrite.cxx
index d7cd779b2e..efc1b6181c 100644
--- a/src/STEPControl/STEPControl_ActorWrite.cxx
+++ b/src/STEPControl/STEPControl_ActorWrite.cxx
@@ -524,17 +524,19 @@ Standard_Boolean STEPControl_ActorWrite::IsAssembly (TopoDS_Shape &S) const
 {
   if ( ! GroupMode() || S.ShapeType() != TopAbs_COMPOUND ) return Standard_False;
   // PTV 16.09.2002  OCC725 for storing compound of vertices
-  if (S.ShapeType() == TopAbs_COMPOUND ) {
-    Standard_Boolean IsOnlyVertices = Standard_True;
-    TopoDS_Iterator anItr( S );
-    for ( ; anItr.More(); anItr.Next() ) {
-      if ( anItr.Value().ShapeType() != TopAbs_VERTEX ) {
-        IsOnlyVertices = Standard_False;
-        break;
+  if (Interface_Static::IVal("write.step.vertex.mode") == 0) {//bug 23950
+    if (S.ShapeType() == TopAbs_COMPOUND ) {
+      Standard_Boolean IsOnlyVertices = Standard_True;
+      TopoDS_Iterator anItr( S );
+      for ( ; anItr.More(); anItr.Next() ) {
+        if ( anItr.Value().ShapeType() != TopAbs_VERTEX ) {
+          IsOnlyVertices = Standard_False;
+          break;
+        }
       }
+      if ( IsOnlyVertices )
+        return Standard_False;
     }
-    if ( IsOnlyVertices )
-      return Standard_False;
   }
   if ( GroupMode() ==1 ) return Standard_True;
   TopoDS_Iterator it ( S );
@@ -756,6 +758,8 @@ Handle(Transfer_Binder) STEPControl_ActorWrite::TransferShape (const Handle(Tran
   // create a list of items to translate
   Handle(TopTools_HSequenceOfShape) RepItemSeq = new TopTools_HSequenceOfShape();
   
+  Standard_Boolean isSeparateVertices = 
+    Interface_Static::IVal("write.step.vertex.mode") == 0;//bug 23950
   // PTV 16.09.2002 OCC725 separate shape from solo vertices.
   Standard_Boolean isOnlyVertices = Standard_False;
   if (theShape.ShapeType() == TopAbs_COMPOUND) {
@@ -766,24 +770,26 @@ Handle(Transfer_Binder) STEPControl_ActorWrite::TransferShape (const Handle(Tran
     aB.MakeCompound(aNewShape);
     aB.MakeCompound(aCompOfVrtx);
     TopoDS_Iterator anCompIt(theShape);
-    for (; anCompIt.More(); anCompIt.Next()) {
-      TopoDS_Shape aCurSh = anCompIt.Value();
-      if (aCurSh.ShapeType() != TopAbs_VERTEX) {
-        aB.Add(aNewShape, aCurSh);
-        countSh++;
-      }
-      else {
-        aB.Add(aCompOfVrtx, aCurSh);
-        countVrtx++;
+    if (isSeparateVertices) {
+      for (; anCompIt.More(); anCompIt.Next()) {
+        TopoDS_Shape aCurSh = anCompIt.Value();
+        if (aCurSh.ShapeType() != TopAbs_VERTEX) {
+          aB.Add(aNewShape, aCurSh);
+          countSh++;
+        }
+        else {
+          aB.Add(aCompOfVrtx, aCurSh);
+          countVrtx++;
+        }
       }
+      // replace the shapes
+      if (countSh)
+        theShape = aNewShape;
+      if (countVrtx)
+        RepItemSeq->Append(aCompOfVrtx);
+      if (countSh == 0) 
+        isOnlyVertices = Standard_True;
     }
-    // replace the shapes
-    if (countSh)
-      theShape = aNewShape;
-    if (countVrtx)
-      RepItemSeq->Append(aCompOfVrtx);
-    if (countSh == 0) 
-      isOnlyVertices = Standard_True;
   } 
   
   if (theShape.ShapeType() == TopAbs_COMPOUND) {
@@ -1280,6 +1286,8 @@ Handle(Transfer_Binder) STEPControl_ActorWrite::TransferCompound (const Handle(T
   Handle(TopTools_HSequenceOfShape) RepItemSeq = new TopTools_HSequenceOfShape();
   // Prepare a collection for non-manifold group of shapes
   Handle(TopTools_HSequenceOfShape) NonManifoldGroup = new TopTools_HSequenceOfShape();
+  Standard_Boolean isSeparateVertices = 
+    (Interface_Static::IVal("write.step.vertex.mode") == 0);//bug 23950
   // PTV OCC725 17.09.2002 -- begin --
   Standard_Integer nbFreeVrtx = 0;
   TopoDS_Compound aCompOfVrtx;
@@ -1293,7 +1301,7 @@ Handle(Transfer_Binder) STEPControl_ActorWrite::TransferCompound (const Handle(T
 
   for (TopoDS_Iterator iter(theShape); iter.More(); iter.Next()) {
     TopoDS_Shape aSubShape = iter.Value();
-    if (aSubShape.ShapeType() != TopAbs_VERTEX) {
+    if (aSubShape.ShapeType() != TopAbs_VERTEX || !isSeparateVertices) {
 
       // Store non-manifold topology as shells (ssv; 10.11.2010)
       if (!isManifold && aSubShape.ShapeType() == TopAbs_SOLID) {
diff --git a/src/STEPControl/STEPControl_Controller.cxx b/src/STEPControl/STEPControl_Controller.cxx
index e6e3f2188c..fe9f6b8700 100644
--- a/src/STEPControl/STEPControl_Controller.cxx
+++ b/src/STEPControl/STEPControl_Controller.cxx
@@ -177,6 +177,14 @@ STEPControl_Controller::STEPControl_Controller ()
     Interface_Static::Init ("step","read.step.ideas",'&',"eval Off");
     Interface_Static::Init ("step","read.step.ideas",'&',"eval On");
     Interface_Static::SetIVal("read.step.ideas",0); 
+
+    //Parameter to write all free vertices in one SDR (name and style of vertex are lost) (default) 
+    //or each vertex in its own SDR (name and style of vertex are exported). (ika; 21.07.2014) 
+    Interface_Static::Init ("step","write.step.vertex.mode",'e',"");
+    Interface_Static::Init ("step","write.step.vertex.mode",'&',"enum 0");
+    Interface_Static::Init ("step","write.step.vertex.mode",'&',"eval One Compound");
+    Interface_Static::Init ("step","write.step.vertex.mode",'&',"eval Single Vertex");
+    Interface_Static::SetIVal("write.step.vertex.mode",0);
   
     // abv 15.11.00: ShapeProcessing
     Interface_Static::Init ("XSTEP","write.step.resource.name",'t',"STEP");
diff --git a/tests/bugs/xde/bug23950 b/tests/bugs/xde/bug23950
index 263ef1c879..753467a621 100644
--- a/tests/bugs/xde/bug23950
+++ b/tests/bugs/xde/bug23950
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-puts "TODO OCC23950 ALL: ERROR: OCC23950 is reproduced"
-
 puts "=========="
 puts "OCC23950"
 puts "=========="
@@ -10,7 +8,14 @@ puts ""
 
 pload QAcommands
 
-set info [OCC23950]
+#switch on writing of vertices names and styles
+param write.step.vertex.mode 1
+
+set aFile ${imagedir}/bug23950.step
+
+catch {file delete ${aFile}}
+
+set info [OCC23950 ${aFile}]
 
 if {[regexp "Write  Done" $info] != 1} {
   puts "Error: file was not written"
@@ -19,7 +24,7 @@ if {[regexp "Write  Done" $info] != 1} {
 }
 
 set is23950fixed "FALSE"
-set file23950 [open test_point_assembly.step RDONLY]
+set file23950 [open ${aFile} RDONLY]
 while {[eof $file23950] == 0} {
   set file23950line [string trim [gets $file23950]]
   if {[string first "Point1" $file23950line] != -1} {
@@ -31,3 +36,6 @@ close $file23950
 if {[string compare $is23950fixed "FALSE"] == 0} {
   puts "ERROR: OCC23950 is reproduced"
 }
+
+#return default behavior
+param write.step.vertex.mode 0