diff --git a/pystencils/astnodes.py b/pystencils/astnodes.py
index 6535b13fd791fdbe17fc6c82efa7c7dfc6657078..cc58ebd301886db63bdf4e37d86285643768e9bd 100644
--- a/pystencils/astnodes.py
+++ b/pystencils/astnodes.py
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ class LoopOverCoordinate(Node):
 
 
 class SympyAssignment(Node):
-    def __init__(self, lhs_symbol, rhs_expr, is_const=True, use_auto=True):
+    def __init__(self, lhs_symbol, rhs_expr, is_const=True, use_auto=False):
         super(SympyAssignment, self).__init__(parent=None)
         self._lhs_symbol = lhs_symbol
         self.rhs = sp.sympify(rhs_expr)
diff --git a/pystencils/kernelcreation.py b/pystencils/kernelcreation.py
index e0c635e06220f10198383e3c1fbbe0de7561280d..408cc506b56f1da5c42522d24e28b7a902f391ad 100644
--- a/pystencils/kernelcreation.py
+++ b/pystencils/kernelcreation.py
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ def create_kernel(assignments,
                   gpu_indexing='block',
                   gpu_indexing_params=MappingProxyType({}),
                   use_textures_for_interpolation=True,
-                  cpu_prepend_optimizations=[]):
+                  cpu_prepend_optimizations=[],
+                  use_auto_for_assignments=False):
     """
     Creates abstract syntax tree (AST) of kernel, using a list of update equations.
 
@@ -102,12 +103,10 @@ def create_kernel(assignments,
                 vectorize(ast, **cpu_vectorize_info)
             else:
                 raise ValueError("Invalid value for cpu_vectorize_info")
-        return ast
     elif target == 'llvm':
         from pystencils.llvm import create_kernel
         ast = create_kernel(assignments, type_info=data_type, split_groups=split_groups,
                             iteration_slice=iteration_slice, ghost_layers=ghost_layers)
-        return ast
     elif target == 'gpu':
         from pystencils.gpucuda import create_cuda_kernel
         ast = create_cuda_kernel(assignments, type_info=data_type,
@@ -115,10 +114,15 @@ def create_kernel(assignments,
                                  iteration_slice=iteration_slice, ghost_layers=ghost_layers,
                                  skip_independence_check=skip_independence_check,
                                  use_textures_for_interpolation=use_textures_for_interpolation)
-        return ast
     else:
         raise ValueError("Unknown target %s. Has to be one of 'cpu', 'gpu' or 'llvm' " % (target,))
 
+    if use_auto_for_assignments:
+        for a in ast.atoms(SympyAssignment):
+            a.use_auto = True
+
+    return ast
+
 
 def create_indexed_kernel(assignments,
                           index_fields,