diff --git a/src/mesh.cpp b/src/mesh.cpp
index 9d8cd67b5a..f039fa08c0 100644
--- a/src/mesh.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh.cpp
@@ -1890,11 +1890,15 @@ UnstructuredMesh::to_hdf5(hid_t group) const
     hid_t mesh_group = create_group(group, "mesh " + std::to_string(id_));
 
     write_dataset(mesh_group, "type", "unstructured");
+    // write volume of each tet
     std::vector<double> tet_vols;
     for (const auto& eh : ehs_) {
       tet_vols.emplace_back(tet_volume(eh));
     }
     write_dataset(mesh_group, "volumes", tet_vols);
+    // and the total volume of the mesh
+    auto total_vol = std::accumulate(tet_vols.begin(), tet_vols.end(), 0.0);
+    write_dataset(mesh_group, "total_volume", total_vol);
 
     close_group(mesh_group);
 }