diff --git a/docs/Users_Guide/glossary.rst b/docs/Users_Guide/glossary.rst
index dbe419ef6e..552ebafbf4 100644
--- a/docs/Users_Guide/glossary.rst
+++ b/docs/Users_Guide/glossary.rst
@@ -9901,6 +9901,19 @@ METplus Configuration Glossary
 
      | *Used by:* PlotPointObs
 
+   RUN_ID
+     Eight character hash string unique to a given run of METplus.
+     Automatically set by METplus at the beginning of a run.
+     Can be referenced in other METplus config variables to distinguish
+     multiple METplus runs that may have started within the same second.
+     For example, it can be added to :term:`LOG_TIMESTAMP_TEMPLATE` to
+     create unique log files, final config files, etc.
+
+     Example:
+     LOG_TIMESTAMP_TEMPLATE = %Y%m%d%H%M%S.{RUN_ID}
+
+     | *Used by:*  All
+
    ENSEMBLE_STAT_NC_ORANK_FLAG_LATLON
      Specify the value for 'nc_orank_flag.latlon' in the MET configuration file for EnsembleStat.
 
diff --git a/metplus/util/config_metplus.py b/metplus/util/config_metplus.py
index feea916bc2..875cde963e 100644
--- a/metplus/util/config_metplus.py
+++ b/metplus/util/config_metplus.py
@@ -18,9 +18,11 @@
 import shutil
 from configparser import ConfigParser, NoOptionError
 from pathlib import Path
+import uuid
 
 from produtil.config import ProdConfig
 
+from .constants import RUNTIME_CONFS
 from . import met_util as util
 from .string_template_substitution import get_tags, do_string_sub
 from .met_util import is_python_script, format_var_items
@@ -242,6 +244,9 @@ def launch(config_list):
     # save list of user configuration files in a variable
     config.set('config', 'CONFIG_INPUT', ','.join(config_format_list))
 
+    # save unique identifier for the METplus run
+    config.set('config', 'RUN_ID', str(uuid.uuid4())[0:8])
+
     # get OUTPUT_BASE to make sure it is set correctly so the first error
     # that is logged relates to OUTPUT_BASE, not LOG_DIR, which is likely
     # only set incorrectly because OUTPUT_BASE is set incorrectly
@@ -523,23 +528,6 @@ def move_runtime_configs(self):
         """
         from_section = 'config'
         to_section = 'runtime'
-        RUNTIME_CONFS = [
-            'CLOCK_TIME',
-            'METPLUS_VERSION',
-            'MET_INSTALL_DIR',
-            'CONFIG_INPUT',
-            'METPLUS_CONF',
-            'TMP_DIR',
-            'STAGING_DIR',
-            'CONVERT',
-            'GEMPAKTOCF_JAR',
-            'GFDL_TRACKER_EXEC',
-            'INPUT_MUST_EXIST',
-            'USER_SHELL',
-            'DO_NOT_RUN_EXE',
-            'SCRUB_STAGING_DIR',
-            'MET_BIN_DIR',
-        ]
         more_run_confs = [item for item in self.keys(from_section)
                           if item.startswith('LOG') or item.endswith('BASE')]
 
diff --git a/metplus/util/constants.py b/metplus/util/constants.py
index 7e7d9cd9f0..76f5b6966c 100644
--- a/metplus/util/constants.py
+++ b/metplus/util/constants.py
@@ -35,3 +35,28 @@
     'Example',
     'CyclonePlotter',
 )
+
+# configuration variables that are specific to a given run
+# these are copied from [config] to [runtime] at the
+# end of the run so they will not be read if the final
+# config file is passed back into METplus but they will
+# still be available to review
+RUNTIME_CONFS = [
+    'RUN_ID',
+    'CLOCK_TIME',
+    'METPLUS_VERSION',
+    'MET_INSTALL_DIR',
+    'CONFIG_INPUT',
+    'METPLUS_CONF',
+    'TMP_DIR',
+    'STAGING_DIR',
+    'FILE_LISTS_DIR',
+    'CONVERT',
+    'GEMPAKTOCF_JAR',
+    'GFDL_TRACKER_EXEC',
+    'INPUT_MUST_EXIST',
+    'USER_SHELL',
+    'DO_NOT_RUN_EXE',
+    'SCRUB_STAGING_DIR',
+    'MET_BIN_DIR',
+]