The effect of water vapor on the initial stages of oxidation of the FeCrAl alloy Kanthal AF is reported. Polished samples were exposed isothermally at 900°C for 1, 24, 72 and 168 h in a well-controlled environment consisting of dry O 2 or O 2 + 40% H 2 O. The samples were investigated using a combination of gravimetry and several surface-analytical techniques, including XRD, SEM, EDX, FIB, AES and TEM. The presence of water vapor significantly accelerates oxidation during the first 72 h. A two-layered oxide forms in both the dry and wet environments. The bottom layer consists of inward-growing a-Al 2 O 3 while the outer layer initially consists of outward-growing c-Al 2 O 3 . A straight and narrow Cr-enriched band is present at the top of the lower (a-Al 2 O 3 ) oxide, corresponding to the original sample surface. In dry O 2 , the top (c-Al 2 O 3 ) layer is converted into a mixture of c-Al 2Àx (Mg,Fe) x O 3À(x/2), MgAl 2 O 4 and a-Al 2 O 3 . This transformation does not occur in O 2 + H 2 O. The initial acceleration of oxidation by H 2 O is attributed to the stabilization of the outward-growing c-alumina layer by the hydroxylation of the c-Al 2 O 3 surface. A schematic mechanism of the early stages of oxidation of FeCrAl alloys is presented, emphasizing the influence of water vapor.