Abstract. A criterion for the calmness of a class of multifunctions between finite-dimensional spaces is derived in terms of subdifferential concepts developed by Mordukhovich. The considered class comprises general constraint set mappings as they occur in optimization or mappings associated with a certain type of variational systems. The criterion for calmness is obtained as an appropriate reduction of Mordukhovich's well-known characterization of the stronger Aubin property (roughly spoken, one may pass to the boundaries of normal cones or subdifferentials when aiming at calmness).