diff --git a/modules/vardictjava/main.nf b/modules/vardictjava/main.nf
index e1098b22..425c1706 100644
--- a/modules/vardictjava/main.nf
+++ b/modules/vardictjava/main.nf
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ process VARDICTJAVA {
         -N $prefix \\
         -G $reference_fasta \\
         $regions_of_interest \\
-        > ${prefix}.vcf
+        | gzip -c > ${prefix}.vcf.gz
 
     cat <<-END_VERSIONS > versions.yml
     "${task.process}":