diff --git a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/sam/ReadUtils.java b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/sam/ReadUtils.java
index e0a3a5a53..fcb3089cd 100755
--- a/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/sam/ReadUtils.java
+++ b/public/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/utils/sam/ReadUtils.java
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ public class ReadUtils {
     // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     public static final String REDUCED_READ_QUALITY_TAG = "RQ";
+    public static final String REDUCED_READ_CONSENSUS_COUNTS_TAG = "CC";
 
     public final static Integer getReducedReadQualityTagValue(final SAMRecord read) {
         return read.getIntegerAttribute(ReadUtils.REDUCED_READ_QUALITY_TAG);