diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 0f49e1a..baa09b2 100755
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-2018-09-22
+2018-10-17
 
         * Version 1.6.0 released
         ========================
 
+        Compute DETX and DETY in ctmodel if they are not available (#2694)
         Do no longer set missing boundaries in ctool::get_observations and
           ctool::setup_observations (#2686)
         Unnormalize background cube values in ctbkgcube (#2685)
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index f25c008..51168a4 100755
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 New Features and Important Changes in ctools 1.6.0
 
-22 September 2018
+17 October 2018
 
 
 Introduction
@@ -112,6 +112,10 @@ None
 
 ctmodel - CTA counts cube modelling
 -----------------------------------
+The tools now computes DETX and DETY for every event bin if they are not
+available so that model that rely on the existence of these parameters can
+be handled (#2694).
+
 Add hidden "nthreads" parameter to control parallel computations (#2421).
 
 
diff --git a/doc/source/admin/release_history/1.6.rst b/doc/source/admin/release_history/1.6.rst
index 972b70c..ca63f7b 100644
--- a/doc/source/admin/release_history/1.6.rst
+++ b/doc/source/admin/release_history/1.6.rst
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ In particular, this release provides:
 Bug fixes
 ---------
 
+* [`2694 <https://cta-redmine.irap.omp.eu/issues/2694>`_] -
+  Compute ``DETX`` and ``DETY`` in :ref:`ctmodel` if they are not available
 * [`2686 <https://cta-redmine.irap.omp.eu/issues/2686>`_] -
   Do no longer set missing boundaries in ``ctool::get_observations`` and
   ``ctool::setup_observations``
diff --git a/src/ctmodel/ctmodel.cpp b/src/ctmodel/ctmodel.cpp
index 674caca..b45dad5 100755
--- a/src/ctmodel/ctmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/ctmodel/ctmodel.cpp
@@ -852,6 +852,10 @@ void ctmodel::fill_cube(const GCTAObservation* obs, GModels& models)
     int npix   = m_cube.npix();
     int nebins = m_cube.ebins();
 
+    // Get reference to the pointing for DETX and DETY computation, if
+    // required
+    const GCTAPointing& pnt = obs->pointing();
+
     // Get references to GTI and energy boundaries for the event list
     const GGti&     gti         = obs->events()->gti();
     const GEbounds& obs_ebounds = obs->ebounds();
@@ -898,8 +902,15 @@ void ctmodel::fill_cube(const GCTAObservation* obs, GModels& models)
             continue;
         }
 
+        // Get instrument direction for spatial pixel. Compute DETX and DETY
+        // if they are not provided
+        GCTAInstDir dir = m_dir[i];
+        if (!dir.has_detx() || !dir.has_dety()) {
+            dir = pnt.instdir(dir.dir());
+        }
+
         // Set instrument direction, solid angle and pixel index of bin
-        bin.dir(m_dir[i]);
+        bin.dir(dir);
         bin.solidangle(m_solidangle[i]);
         bin.ipix(i);