Abstract. Hydrogen dissolved in the Cr 2 O 3 scale formed on the stainless steel in the H 2 O-containing atmospheres is observed by TDS (thermal desorption spectroscopy) measurements. The amount of dissolved hydrogen in the Cr 2 O 3 scale reaches a maximum about 0.32 mol% when the H 2 O concentration in the gas reaches 20%. It was found from GDS (glow discharge spectroscopy) measurements that hydrogen may exist at the oxide scale / substrate interface or in Cr 2 O 3 scale bounded that interface. However, results from the Vickers hardness and the observation of scale morphology by SEM (scanning electron microscopy), hydrogen dissolved in the Cr 2 O 3 scale would have little effect on a decrease in the mechanical property of the Cr 2 O 3 scale. Therefore, hydrogen dissolved in the Cr 2 O 3 scale may not be main factor of the deterioration of the Cr 2 O 3 scale.