diff --git a/blueprints/test_chemistry/config.bash b/blueprints/test_chemistry/config.bash
index 536e8c74c4a8afbe30067f2550c00ee9aa964fe4..553053e4cd5a7cc53682102e3390f06271260163 100644
--- a/blueprints/test_chemistry/config.bash
+++ b/blueprints/test_chemistry/config.bash
@@ -97,3 +97,11 @@ chembcInpFile=waccm.inp
 
 # TUV photolysis option 4 data file
 TUVDataPath="/alcc/gpfs2/home/mbees/data/tuv/TUV.phot.bz2"
+
+# --- overriding default values ---
+
+nNodesMain=1
+nTasksPerNodeMain=7
+
+nNodesSpinup=1
+nTasksPerNodeSpinup=7
diff --git a/machine_profiles/alcc_spack/batch_preambles/main b/machine_profiles/alcc_spack/batch_preambles/main
index f321899c794d07d487f24164906f27f4db2893e7..bcfbcf3f1ed10f4a973fcf06e3dcb1294ddf7a3c 100644
--- a/machine_profiles/alcc_spack/batch_preambles/main
+++ b/machine_profiles/alcc_spack/batch_preambles/main
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 #SBATCH -o __runDir__/__mainJobName__.%j.%N.out
 #SBATCH -D __runDir__
 #SBATCH -J __mainJobName__
-#SBATCH --nodes=3
-#SBATCH --ntasks-per-node=28
+#SBATCH --nodes=__nNodesMain__
+#SBATCH --ntasks-per-node=__nTasksPerNodeMain__
 #SBATCH --mem-per-cpu=2000
 #SBATCH --mail-type=FAIL
 #SBATCH --mail-user=christoph.knote@med.uni-augsburg.de
diff --git a/machine_profiles/alcc_spack/batch_preambles/spinup b/machine_profiles/alcc_spack/batch_preambles/spinup
index a6daf43d86aa703833c38657dabb9e46d407f147..3c3a7162784c6716965fd8df3a599205c70135b9 100644
--- a/machine_profiles/alcc_spack/batch_preambles/spinup
+++ b/machine_profiles/alcc_spack/batch_preambles/spinup
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 #SBATCH -o __runDir__/__spinupJobName__.%j.%N.out
 #SBATCH -D __runDir__
 #SBATCH -J __spinupJobName__
-#SBATCH --nodes=1
-#SBATCH --ntasks-per-node=28
+#SBATCH --nodes=__nNodesSpinup__
+#SBATCH --ntasks-per-node=__nTasksPerNodeSpinup__
 #SBATCH --mem-per-cpu=2000
 #SBATCH --mail-type=FAIL
 #SBATCH --mail-user=christoph.knote@med.uni-augsburg.de
diff --git a/machine_profiles/alcc_spack/profile.bash b/machine_profiles/alcc_spack/profile.bash
index c49a7befe90a05c1cb7581697dbc26d8b6495df5..6b2e8646786cc131ab3accc8ba0ce76eb3755c83 100644
--- a/machine_profiles/alcc_spack/profile.bash
+++ b/machine_profiles/alcc_spack/profile.bash
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ mpiCommandPre="mpirun"
 mpiCommandMain="mpirun"
 mpiCommandReal=${mpiCommandPre}
 
+nNodesMain=3
+nTasksPerNodeMain=28
+
+nNodesSpinup=1
+nTasksPerNodeSpinup=28
+
 # --- Batch system ---
 
 # argument to submit a job in a held state
diff --git a/master.bash b/master.bash
index bb541392adda014ec86a1949373fc3320f552338..3fd791f47a2a87f98895b22f2f9918311887afd7 100755
--- a/master.bash
+++ b/master.bash
@@ -267,6 +267,10 @@ s/__refDateTxt__/${dateTxt}/g
 s/__domains__/${max_dom}/g
 s/__removeRunDir__/${removeRunDir}/g
 s/__metIncSec__/${metIncSec}/g
+s/__nNodesMain__/${nNodesMain}/g
+s/__nTasksPerNodeMain__/${nTasksPerNodeMain}/g
+s/__nNodesSpinup__/${nNodesSpinup}/g
+s/__nTasksPerNodeSpinup__/${nTasksPerNodeSpinup}/g
 EOF
 
 # real run from -spinup to +fcstTime