diff --git a/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_config.py b/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_config.py
index d1a18f4fb..8ff128663 100755
--- a/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_config.py
+++ b/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_config.py
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+from functools import lru_cache
+import subprocess
+import re
+
 def create_sim_config(args):
     # creates a generic simulation config
     # based on arguments args (run number, energy, ...) originally passed
@@ -138,3 +142,41 @@ def constructConfigKeyArg(config):
           arg = arg + mainkey + '.' + subkey + '=' + config[mainkey][subkey] + ';'
     arg = arg + '"'
     return arg
+
+# some functions to determine dpl option availability on the fly
+def parse_dpl_help_output(executable):
+    """Parses the --help full output of an executable to extract available options."""
+    try:
+        output = subprocess.check_output([executable, "--help", "full"], text=True)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        return {}, {}
+    
+    option_pattern = re.compile(r"(\-\-[\w\-]+)")
+    sections = {}
+    inverse_lookup = {}
+    current_section = "global"
+    
+    for line in output.split("\n"):
+        section_match = re.match(r"^([A-Za-z\s]+):$", line.strip())
+        if section_match:
+            current_section = section_match.group(1).strip()
+            sections[current_section] = []
+            continue
+        
+        option_match = option_pattern.findall(line)
+        if option_match:
+            for option in option_match:
+                sections.setdefault(current_section, []).append(option)
+                inverse_lookup.setdefault(option, []).append(current_section)
+    
+    return sections, inverse_lookup
+
+@lru_cache(maxsize=10)
+def get_dpl_options_for_executable(executable):
+    """Returns available options and inverse lookup for a given executable, caching the result."""
+    return parse_dpl_help_output(executable)
+
+def option_if_available(executable, option):
+    """Checks if an option is available for a given executable and returns it as a string. Otherwise empty string"""
+    _, inverse_lookup = get_dpl_options_for_executable(executable)
+    return ' ' + option if option in inverse_lookup else ''
diff --git a/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_workflow.py b/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_workflow.py
index 60391438b..cea030685 100755
--- a/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_workflow.py
+++ b/MC/bin/o2dpg_sim_workflow.py
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@
 import itertools
 import math
 import requests, re
+from functools import lru_cache
+
 pandas_available = True
 try:
     import pandas as pd
@@ -37,7 +39,7 @@
 
 from o2dpg_workflow_utils import createTask, createGlobalInitTask, dump_workflow, adjust_RECO_environment, isActive, activate_detector, deactivate_detector, compute_n_workers, merge_dicts
 from o2dpg_qc_finalization_workflow import include_all_QC_finalization
-from o2dpg_sim_config import create_sim_config, create_geant_config, constructConfigKeyArg
+from o2dpg_sim_config import create_sim_config, create_geant_config, constructConfigKeyArg, option_if_available
 
 parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Create an ALICE (Run3) MC simulation workflow')
 
@@ -1154,7 +1156,8 @@ def getDigiTaskName(det):
    TPCRECOtask['cmd'] = '${O2_ROOT}/bin/o2-tpc-reco-workflow ' + getDPL_global_options(bigshm=True) + ' --input-type clusters --output-type tracks,send-clusters-per-sector ' \
                         + putConfigValuesNew(["GPU_global","TPCGasParam", "TPCCorrMap", "GPU_rec_tpc", "trackTuneParams"], {"GPU_proc.ompThreads":NWORKERS_TF} | tpcLocalCFreco) + ('',' --disable-mc')[args.no_mc_labels] \
                         + tpc_corr_scaling_options + tpc_corr_options_mc \
-                        + ' --tpc-mc-time-gain'
+                        + option_if_available('o2-tpc-reco-workflow', '--tpc-mc-time-gain')
+   
    workflow['stages'].append(TPCRECOtask)
 
    # END TPC reco
diff --git a/MC/run/ANCHOR/anchorMC.sh b/MC/run/ANCHOR/anchorMC.sh
index a7beb3907..8a33a9124 100755
--- a/MC/run/ANCHOR/anchorMC.sh
+++ b/MC/run/ANCHOR/anchorMC.sh
@@ -145,10 +145,23 @@ NWORKERS=${NWORKERS:-8}
 # set a default seed if not given
 SEED=${ALIEN_PROC_ID:-${SEED:-1}}
 
-#<----- START OF part that should run under a clean alternative software environment if this was given ------
-(
+ONCVMFS=0
+[[ "${BASEDIR}" == /cvmfs/* ]] && ONCVMFS=1
+if [ ! "${MODULEPATH}" ]; then
+  export MODULEPATH=${BASEDIR}/../Modules/modulefiles
+  if [ "${ONCVMFS}" == "1" ]; then
+    PLATFORM=$(echo "${BASEDIR}" | sed -E 's|.*/([^/]+)/Packages|\1|')
+    export MODULEPATH=${MODULEPATH}:${BASEDIR}/../../etc/toolchain/modulefiles/${PLATFORM}
+  fi
+  echo "Determined Modulepath to be ${MODULEPATH}"
+fi
 
+#<----- START OF part that should run under a clean alternative software environment if this was given ------
 if [ "${ALIEN_JDL_O2DPG_ASYNC_RECO_TAG}" ]; then
+  if [ "${LOADEDMODULES}" ]; then
+    module save initial_modules.list # we stash the current modules environment
+    module purge
+  fi
   echo_info "Using tag ${ALIEN_JDL_O2DPG_ASYNC_RECO_TAG} to setup anchored MC"
   /cvmfs/alice.cern.ch/bin/alienv printenv "${ALIEN_JDL_O2DPG_ASYNC_RECO_TAG}" &> async_environment.env
   source async_environment.env
@@ -201,8 +214,6 @@ if [[ "${RECO_RC}" != "0" ]] ; then
     exit ${RECO_RC}
 fi
 
-)
-#<----- END OF part that should run under a clean alternative software environment if this was given ------
 
 ALIEN_JDL_LPMPRODUCTIONTAG=$ALIEN_JDL_LPMPRODUCTIONTAG_KEEP
 echo_info "Setting back ALIEN_JDL_LPMPRODUCTIONTAG to $ALIEN_JDL_LPMPRODUCTIONTAG"
@@ -217,6 +228,16 @@ if [[ "${ASYNC_WF_RC}" != "0" || `grep "o2-ctf-reader-workflow-options" config-j
   exit 1
 fi
 
+# get rid of the temporary software environment
+if [ "${ALIEN_JDL_O2DPG_ASYNC_RECO_TAG}" ]; then
+  module purge
+  # restore the initial software environment
+  echo "Restoring initial environment"
+  module --no-pager restore initial_modules.list
+  module saverm initial_modules.list
+fi
+#<----- END OF part that should run under a clean alternative software environment if this was given ------
+
 # -- CREATE THE MC JOB DESCRIPTION ANCHORED TO RUN --
 
 MODULES="--skipModules ZDC"