The effect of a flow guide in a vertical MOCVD reactor on the deposition uniformity and growth rate of thin YBCO films has been studied. Without the flow guide the growth rates are low, have a poor uniformity and the film composition is not stoichiometric. The growth rate of the films grown using a reactor with the flow guide was approximately twice that without the flow guide. Using this flow guide the growth rates were 0.4-0.7 mm/h for growth temperatures varying between 600 and 750 C, and the crystalline quality as well as the surface morphology of YBCO films on MgO substrates is improved. For films grown at temperatures above 650 C the composition of Y: Ba : Cu is 1 : 2 : 3, as confirmed by EDAX spectra. Films deposited without and with the flow guide at 700 C have critical temperatures around 85 and 88 K, respectively. The reduction in DT c (T c, zero --T c, onset ) also shows an improvement of the superconducting properties of YBCO thin films deposited with a flow guide.