diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index b02ca8f..f49d2e4 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-2017-07-22
+2017-07-25
 
         * Version 1.4.0 released
         =========================
 
+        Write response information into simulated observation definition file (#2170)
         Normalise phase curves by default (#2154)
         Support Python list slicing for container classes (#2128)
         Add GSkyRegions::overlaps() and GSkyMap::overlaps() classes (#1980)
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 01e69bf..2a1dd6d 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 New Features and Important Changes in GammaLib 1.4.0
 
-22 July 2017
+25 July 2017
 
 
 1. Introduction
@@ -149,6 +149,10 @@ GCTACubeEdisp::fill_cube(), and GCTACubeBackground::fill() methods now
 exclude any observations from the filling for which the RoI does not
 overlap with the cube definition (#1980).
 
+The response information is now always written in the observation definition
+XML file if it is available, and not only if it has been read in previously
+from another XML file (#2170).
+
 
 21. COMPTEL interface
 ---------------------
diff --git a/doc/source/admin/release_history/1.4.rst b/doc/source/admin/release_history/1.4.rst
index 854e10e..bcff534 100644
--- a/doc/source/admin/release_history/1.4.rst
+++ b/doc/source/admin/release_history/1.4.rst
@@ -10,8 +10,7 @@ GammaLib 1.4 is a major release that adds significant functionality.
 
 In particular, this release provides:
 
-* TBD
-* TBD
+* Support for Python list slicing for all container classes
 
 
 Bug fixes
@@ -21,6 +20,10 @@ Bug fixes
 Improvements
 ------------
 
+* [`2170 <https://cta-redmine.irap.omp.eu/issues/2170>`_] -
+  Write response information into simulated observation definition file
+* [`2154 <https://cta-redmine.irap.omp.eu/issues/2154>`_] -
+  Normalise phase curves by default
 * [`1980 <https://cta-redmine.irap.omp.eu/issues/1980>`_] -
   Add ``GSkyRegions::overlaps()`` and ``GSkyMap::overlaps()`` classes
 
@@ -28,6 +31,9 @@ Improvements
 New features
 ------------
 
+* [`2128 <https://cta-redmine.irap.omp.eu/issues/2128>`_] -
+  Support Python list slicing for container classes
+
 
 
 Clean up
diff --git a/inst/cta/src/GCTAResponseIrf.cpp b/inst/cta/src/GCTAResponseIrf.cpp
index 90fe11a..f05d372 100644
--- a/inst/cta/src/GCTAResponseIrf.cpp
+++ b/inst/cta/src/GCTAResponseIrf.cpp
@@ -756,11 +756,11 @@ void GCTAResponseIrf::read(const GXmlElement& xml)
 
         } // endif: sigma attribute specified
 
-        // Store database and response names (we do this now since the
-        // load() method results the object, except of the calibration
-        // database)
-        m_xml_caldb   = xml_caldb;
-        m_xml_rspname = xml_rspname;
+        // Store database and response names for later writing into the XML
+        // file (we do this now since the load() method clears all
+        // GCTAResponseIrf data members)
+        //m_xml_caldb   = xml_caldb;
+        //m_xml_rspname = xml_rspname;
 
     } // endif: "Calibration" parameter found
 
@@ -1020,6 +1020,9 @@ void GCTAResponseIrf::write(GXmlElement& xml) const
  * appropriate response is found, the method takes the database root path
  * and response name to build the full path to the response file, and tries
  * to load the response from these paths.
+ *
+ * The method sets the calibration database and response names for writing
+ * of the response information into the XML file.
  ***************************************************************************/
 void GCTAResponseIrf::load(const std::string& rspname)
 {
@@ -1042,19 +1045,26 @@ void GCTAResponseIrf::load(const std::string& rspname)
         bgdname = m_caldb.filename("","","BGD","","",expr);
     }
 
+    // Signal usage of calibration database
+    bool use_caldb = true;
+
     // If filenames are empty then build filenames from CALDB root path and
     // response name
     if (aeffname.is_empty()) {
-        aeffname = irf_filename(gammalib::filepath(m_caldb.rootdir(), rspname));
+        aeffname  = irf_filename(gammalib::filepath(m_caldb.rootdir(), rspname));
+        use_caldb = false;
     }
     if (psfname.is_empty()) {
-        psfname = irf_filename(gammalib::filepath(m_caldb.rootdir(), rspname));
+        psfname   = irf_filename(gammalib::filepath(m_caldb.rootdir(), rspname));
+        use_caldb = false;
     }
     if (edispname.is_empty()) {
         edispname = irf_filename(gammalib::filepath(m_caldb.rootdir(), rspname));
+        use_caldb = false;
     }
     if (bgdname.is_empty()) {
-        bgdname = irf_filename(gammalib::filepath(m_caldb.rootdir(), rspname));
+        bgdname   = irf_filename(gammalib::filepath(m_caldb.rootdir(), rspname));
+        use_caldb = false;
     }
 
     // Load effective area
@@ -1078,6 +1088,13 @@ void GCTAResponseIrf::load(const std::string& rspname)
     // Store response name
     m_rspname = rspname;
 
+    // If the calibration database has been used then store database and
+    // response names for later writing into the XML file
+    if (use_caldb) {
+        m_xml_caldb   = caldb.instrument();
+        m_xml_rspname = rspname;
+    }
+
     // Return
     return;
 }