Theeffectofcathodichydrogenchargingonthetensileandconstantloadpropertieswasdeterminedforanausteniticstainlesssteelweldmentcomprisinga304Lsteelinthesolutiontreatedconditionasabasemetalanda308Lfillersteelasaweldmetal.Partofthe304Lsolutiontreatedsteelwasseparatelygivenadditionalsensitizationtreatmenttosimulatethemicrostructurethatwoulddevelopintheheataffectedzone.Testswereperformedatroomtemperatureonnotchedroundbarspecimens.Hydrogenchargingresultedinapronouncedembrittlementofthetestedmaterials.Thiswasmanifestedmainlyasaconsiderablelossinthedluctilityoftensilespecimensandadecreaseinthetimetofailureandthresholdstressofconstantloadspecimens.The308Lweldmetalexhibitedthehighest,andthe304Lsolutiontreatedsteelthelowest,resistancetohydrogenembrittlement.Hydrogenembrittlementwasassociatedwiththeformationofstraininducedmartensiteaswellasatransitionfrombrittletoductilefracturemorphologyonwardsthecentreofthespecimens.