diff --git a/Control/AthenaServices/python/MetaDataSvcConfig.py b/Control/AthenaServices/python/MetaDataSvcConfig.py
index f5efeb7482f33fc87138f8593e94d45e5943878b..f14b098f4c97e3956c497608d3fe2df4b63e722d 100644
--- a/Control/AthenaServices/python/MetaDataSvcConfig.py
+++ b/Control/AthenaServices/python/MetaDataSvcConfig.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-# Copyright (C) 2002-2019 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration
+# Copyright (C) 2002-2020 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration
 
-def MetaDataSvcCfg(flags, toolNames=[]):
+def MetaDataSvcCfg(flags, toolNames=[], tools=[]):
     # should cover most use cases (POOL, RAW) when called with appropriate toolNames argument
     from AthenaConfiguration.ComponentAccumulator import ComponentAccumulator
     from AthenaConfiguration.ComponentFactory import CompFactory
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ def MetaDataSvcCfg(flags, toolNames=[]):
     result.addService(svc)
     result.addService(CompFactory.ProxyProviderSvc(ProviderNames=["MetaDataSvc"]))
 
+    for tool in tools:
+        result.addPublicTool(tool)
+        svc.MetaDataTools += [tool]
+
     for name in toolNames:
         if not isinstance(name, string_types):
             from AthenaCommon.Logging import logging
@@ -26,4 +30,4 @@ def MetaDataSvcCfg(flags, toolNames=[]):
         result.addPublicTool(thistool)
         svc.MetaDataTools += [thistool]
 
-    return result
\ No newline at end of file
+    return result