diff --git a/src/amuse/ic/molecular_cloud.py b/src/amuse/ic/molecular_cloud.py
index e35a064bb0..17b718af65 100644
--- a/src/amuse/ic/molecular_cloud.py
+++ b/src/amuse/ic/molecular_cloud.py
@@ -2,14 +2,44 @@
 Generate a molecular cloud of SPH particles
 """
 
+import warnings
 from amuse.ext.molecular_cloud import molecular_cloud
 
+
 def new_molecular_cloud(
-    nf=32, power=-3., targetN=10000, ethep_ratio=0.01,
-    convert_nbody=None, ekep_ratio=1., seed=None, base_grid=None,
+    nf=32,
+    power=-3.0,
+    target_number_of_particles=None,
+    ethep_ratio=0.01,
+    convert_nbody=None,
+    ekep_ratio=1.0,
+    seed=None,
+    base_grid=None,
+    targetN=None,
 ):
+    """
+    Creates a molecular cloud of SPH particles
+    """
+    if targetN is not None:
+        warnings.warn(
+            "targetN is deprecated, use target_number_of_particles instead",
+            category=FutureWarning,
+        )
+        if target_number_of_particles is not None and target_number_of_particles != targetN:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "targetN and target_number_of_particles have different values, "
+                "this is only allowed if one of them is None"
+            )
+        target_number_of_particles = targetN
+    if target_number_of_particles is None:
+        raise ValueError("target_number_of_particles must be set")
     return molecular_cloud(
-        nf=nf, power=power, targetN=targetN, ethep_ratio=ethep_ratio,
-        convert_nbody=convert_nbody, ekep_ratio=ekep_ratio, seed=seed,
+        nf=nf,
+        power=power,
+        targetN=target_number_of_particles,
+        ethep_ratio=ethep_ratio,
+        convert_nbody=convert_nbody,
+        ekep_ratio=ekep_ratio,
+        seed=seed,
         base_grid=base_grid,
     ).result