The hydrogen embrittlement behavior of Fe-19Cr-8Ni-0.05C and Fe-19Cr-8Ni-0.14C metastable austenitic steels was investigated using tensile tests under hydrogen-charging, cryogenic thermal desorption spectroscopy, and in situ deformation experiments. Coupled with post-mortem microstructure characterization, the cracking paths were clarified to be transgranular along {110}(alpha) and {100}(alpha) in the Fe-19Cr-8Ni-0.05C steel and (100)(alpha) in the Fe-19Cr-8Ni-0.14C steel. Intergranular cracking also occurred in the Fe-19Cr-8Ni-0.05C steel when alpha '-martensite thoroughly covered the grain boundaries. Occurrence of the transgranular and intergranular hydrogen-assisted cracking in the steels is assisted by (1) an increase in the hydrogen-affected zone associated with presence of thermally induced alpha '-martensite, and (2) an increase in the local mobility of hydrogen that occurs with the deformation-induced alpha '-martensitic transformation. Additionally, (3) the trans granular hydrogen-assisted cracking is assisted by the intersection of deformation bands driven by the maximum Schmid factor and the stress concentration at the crack tip. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.