diff --git a/apf/apfShape.cc b/apf/apfShape.cc
index 5806b07fe..b41f308d0 100644
--- a/apf/apfShape.cc
+++ b/apf/apfShape.cc
@@ -522,12 +522,34 @@ class QuadraticBase : public FieldShape
 	}
         int countNodes() const {return 10;}
     };
+    class Prism : public EntityShape
+    {
+      public:
+        void getValues(Mesh*, MeshEntity*,
+            Vector3 const& , NewArray<double>& ) const
+        {
+	  fail("getValue not implemented for quadratic prisms type!");
+        }
+        void getLocalGradients(Mesh*, MeshEntity*,
+            Vector3 const& ,
+            NewArray<Vector3>& ) const
+        {
+	  fail("getLocalGradients not implemented for quadratic prisms type!");
+        }
+        void getVectorValues(Mesh*, MeshEntity*,
+            Vector3 const&, NewArray<Vector3>&) const
+	{
+	  fail("getVectorValues not defined for nodal shapes");
+	}
+        int countNodes() const {return 18;}
+    };
     EntityShape* getEntityShape(int type)
     {
       static Linear::Vertex vertex;
       static Edge edge;
       static Triangle triangle;
       static Tetrahedron tet;
+      static Prism prism;
       static EntityShape* shapes[Mesh::TYPES] =
       {&vertex,   //vertex
        &edge,     //edge
@@ -535,7 +557,7 @@ class QuadraticBase : public FieldShape
        NULL,     //quad
        &tet,      //tet
        NULL,      //hex
-       NULL,      //prism
+       &prism,      //prism
        NULL};     //pyramid
       return shapes[type];
     }
diff --git a/apf/apfVtk.cc b/apf/apfVtk.cc
index e71744a38..c1568db5e 100644
--- a/apf/apfVtk.cc
+++ b/apf/apfVtk.cc
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ static void writeTypes(std::ostream& file,
     ,{ 9,23}//quad
     ,{10,24}//tet
     ,{12,25}//hex
-    ,{13,-1}//prism
+    ,{13,32}//prism
     ,{14,-1}//pyramid
   };
   if (isWritingBinary)