Although　membrane　distillation　(MD)　has　great　potential　in　treating　high-salinity　wastewater,　continuous　accumulation　of　inorganic　salt　due　to　increasing　concentration　inevitably　causes　supersaturation　and　subsequent　membrane　scaling.　Crystallizer　is　an　effective　tool　used　for　removal　of　salts;　however,　it　has　been　hardly　applied　for　sparingly　soluble　salts.　In　this　study,　a　simultaneous　membrane　distillation–crystallization　(SMDC)　system　was　developed　for　gypsum　scaling　control.　Induced　crystallization　was　adopted　to　retard　the　membrane　scaling.　The　transmittance　and　ion　concentration　of　the　concentrate　were　measured　to　investigate　the　performance　of　the　induced　crystallization.　The　membrane　scaling　was　characterized　by　both　vapor　flux　measurements　and　scanning　electron　microscopy.　Besides,　the　permeate　conductivity　was　monitored　to　assess　the　membrane　wetting　during　MD,　and　the　energy　evaluation　was　performed　for　the　SMDC　system　during　the　reverse　osmosis　brine　treatment.　Results　showed　that　the　seeding　of　gypsum　at　dosage　of　1　g　L−1　effectively　restricted　the　membrane　scaling　and　wetting.　Although　the　combination　of　seeding　and　heating　showed　better　membrane　scaling　control　performance,　the　energy　consumption　of　the　SMDC　system　increased　by　4　times　without　considering　heat　recovery.　Therefore,　feed　seeding　alone　is　an　efficient　and　economical　measure　to　restrict　gypsum　scaling　and　wetting　during　the　high-salinity　wastewater　treatment　using　MD.　©　2021　Elsevier　B.V.