diff --git a/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_config.py b/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_config.py
index 22017086d..24efa3935 100755
--- a/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_config.py
+++ b/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_config.py
@@ -125,9 +125,8 @@ def constructConfigKeyArg(config):
     # and constructs the --configKeyValues options for simulation
     if len(config) == 0:
         return ''
-    arg = '--configKeyValues "'
+    arg_tokens = []
     for mainkey in config:
       for subkey in config[mainkey]:
-          arg = arg + mainkey + '.' + subkey + '=' + config[mainkey][subkey] + ';'
-    arg = arg + '"'
-    return arg
+          arg_tokens.append(mainkey + '.' + subkey + '=' + config[mainkey][subkey])
+    return '--configKeyValues "' + ';'.join(arg_tokens) + '"'
diff --git a/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_workflow.py b/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_workflow.py
index 0cec2d02f..2f180805b 100755
--- a/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_workflow.py
+++ b/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_workflow.py
@@ -362,9 +362,36 @@ def getDPL_global_options(bigshm=False, ccdbbackend=True):
 if (includeLocalQC or includeFullQC) and not isdir(qcdir):
     mkdir(qcdir)
 
+# prepare fetching and configuration for MaterialManagerParam
+# MaterialManagerParam only has an effect when given to signal confKey
+mat_mgr_params = create_geant_config(args, args.confKey).get('MaterialManagerParam', {}).get('inputFile', None)
+# the target file name
+mat_mgr_file_name = 'material_manager_params.json'
+# the path on CCDB
+ccdb_path = 'SIM_TEST/ALIBI/SIM_CUTS'
+# this is the full path of where the parameter file will be copied to
+mat_mgr_file_path = f'${{ALICEO2_CCDB_LOCALCACHE}}/{ccdb_path}/{mat_mgr_file_name}'
+
+if mat_mgr_params is None:
+   mat_mgr_cmd = 'echo "placeholder / dummy task"'
+   mat_mgr_file_path = None
+elif mat_mgr_params == 'ccdb':
+   mat_mgr_cmd = f'${{O2_ROOT}}/bin/o2-ccdb-downloadccdbfile --host http://ccdb-test.cern.ch:8080 -p {ccdb_path} --timestamp -1 -d ${{ALICEO2_CCDB_LOCALCACHE}} -o {mat_mgr_file_name}'
+else:
+   mat_mgr_cmd = f'[[ ! -d ${{ALICEO2_CCDB_LOCALCACHE}}/{ccdb_path} ]] && {{mkdir ${{ALICEO2_CCDB_LOCALCACHE}}/{ccdb_path} ; cp {mat_mgr_params} ${{ALICEO2_CCDB_LOCALCACHE}}/{ccdb_path} ; }}'
+
+if mat_mgr_params:
+   # we can simply append, the last one takes precedence
+   args.confKey += f';MaterialManagerParam.inputFile={mat_mgr_file_path}'
+   args.confKeyBkg += f';MaterialManagerParam.inputFile={mat_mgr_file_path}'
+
+MATMGR_TASK = createTask(name='download_mat_mgr_params', cpu=0)
+MATMGR_TASK['cmd'] = mat_mgr_cmd
+workflow['stages'].append(MATMGR_TASK)
+
 # create/publish the GRPs and other GLO objects for consistent use further down the pipeline
 orbitsPerTF=int(args.orbitsPerTF)
-GRP_TASK = createTask(name='grpcreate', cpu='0')
+GRP_TASK = createTask(name='grpcreate', cpu='0', needs=[MATMGR_TASK['name']])
 GRP_TASK['cmd'] = 'o2-grp-simgrp-tool createGRPs --timestamp ' + str(args.timestamp) + ' --run ' + str(args.run) + ' --publishto ${ALICEO2_CCDB_LOCALCACHE:-.ccdb} -o grp --hbfpertf ' + str(orbitsPerTF) + ' --field ' + args.field
 GRP_TASK['cmd'] += ' --readoutDets ' + " ".join(activeDetectors) + ' --print ' + ('','--lhcif-CCDB')[args.run_anchored]
 if (not args.run_anchored == True) and len(args.bcPatternFile) > 0: