It is well known that at solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) operating temperatures, volatile Cr species are generated over the chromia scale of chromia-forming alloy interconnect, poisoning the cathodes such as (LaSr)MnO3 (LSM) and (La,Sr)(Co,Fe)O-3 (LSCF) and causing the rapid degradation of the cell performance. Thus, SOFCs based on the chromia-forming alloy interconnect require the development of cathode not only with high electrochemical activity but also with the high Cr-tolerance. In the last 7-8 years, we studied, in detail, the interaction between the Cr-Fe alloys and SOFC cathodes. In this paper, the mechanism of Cr deposition at LSM and LSCF cathodes is briefly reviewed. Based on the reaction mechanism, a strategy to develop Cr-tolerant cathodes for SOFCs is proposed. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.