diff --git a/Trigger/TrigConfiguration/TrigConfigSvc/python/TrigConfigSvcCfg.py b/Trigger/TrigConfiguration/TrigConfigSvc/python/TrigConfigSvcCfg.py
index b2b74f7eb448fa040bd404c4a7208073daad2df8..d1fceee4830d9572ea57c1e39335d5756f74f729 100644
--- a/Trigger/TrigConfiguration/TrigConfigSvc/python/TrigConfigSvcCfg.py
+++ b/Trigger/TrigConfiguration/TrigConfigSvc/python/TrigConfigSvcCfg.py
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ def getTrigConfigFromFlag( flags=None ):
         "hltpsk" : hltpsk,
         "bgk"    : bgk
     }
+    # this is for backward compatibility
+    if tcdict["source"] == "MCRECO":
+        tcdict["source"] = "FILE"
     return tcdict