diff --git a/include/dictstat.h b/include/dictstat.h
index a60b3ffe9..13f62b17a 100644
--- a/include/dictstat.h
+++ b/include/dictstat.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #define MAX_DICTSTAT 100000
 
 #define DICTSTAT_FILENAME "hashcat.dictstat2"
-#define DICTSTAT_VERSION  (0x6863646963743200 | 0x02)
+#define DICTSTAT_VERSION  (0x6863646963743200 | 0x03)
 
 int sort_by_dictstat (const void *s1, const void *s2);
 
diff --git a/src/dictstat.c b/src/dictstat.c
index 02bb86b5f..24eb419c3 100644
--- a/src/dictstat.c
+++ b/src/dictstat.c
@@ -94,11 +94,15 @@ void dictstat_read (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 {
   hashconfig_t   *hashconfig   = hashcat_ctx->hashconfig;
   dictstat_ctx_t *dictstat_ctx = hashcat_ctx->dictstat_ctx;
+  user_options_t *user_options = hashcat_ctx->user_options;
 
   if (dictstat_ctx->enabled == false) return;
 
   if (hashconfig->dictstat_disable == true) return;
 
+  if (user_options->rule_buf_l != NULL) return;
+  if (user_options->rule_buf_r != NULL) return;
+
   HCFILE fp;
 
   if (hc_fopen (&fp, dictstat_ctx->filename, "rb") == false)
@@ -182,11 +186,15 @@ int dictstat_write (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 {
   hashconfig_t   *hashconfig   = hashcat_ctx->hashconfig;
   dictstat_ctx_t *dictstat_ctx = hashcat_ctx->dictstat_ctx;
+  user_options_t *user_options = hashcat_ctx->user_options;
 
   if (dictstat_ctx->enabled == false) return 0;
 
   if (hashconfig->dictstat_disable == true) return 0;
 
+  if (user_options->rule_buf_l != NULL) return 0;
+  if (user_options->rule_buf_r != NULL) return 0;
+
   HCFILE fp;
 
   if (hc_fopen (&fp, dictstat_ctx->filename, "wb") == false)