diff --git a/src/dagmc/dagmcmetadata.hpp b/src/dagmc/dagmcmetadata.hpp
index d3a940f3f..137c99049 100644
--- a/src/dagmc/dagmcmetadata.hpp
+++ b/src/dagmc/dagmcmetadata.hpp
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ class dagmcMetaData {
    */
   std::map<moab::EntityHandle, std::map<std::string, double>> importance_map;
 
-  // Some constant keyword values
+  // Getting some constant keyword values
   const std::string& graveyard_str() const { return graveyard_str_; }
   const std::string& vacuum_str() const { return vacuum_str_; }
   const std::string& vacuum_mat_str() const { return vacuum_mat_str_; }
@@ -325,6 +325,12 @@ class dagmcMetaData {
   const std::string& white_str() const { return white_str_; }
   const std::string& periodic_str() const { return periodic_str_; }
 
+  // Allowing modify some constant keyword values
+  void set_graveyard_str(std::string val) { graveyard_str_ = val; }
+  void set_vacuum_str(std::string val) { vacuum_str_ = val; }
+  void set_vacuum_mat_str(std::string val) { vacuum_mat_str_ = val; }
+  void set_graveyard_mat_str(std::string val) { graveyard_mat_str_ = val; }
+
   // private member variables
  private:
   /**
@@ -360,13 +366,14 @@ class dagmcMetaData {
   std::map<std::string, std::string> keyword_synonyms;
 
   // Some constant keyword values
-  const std::string graveyard_str_{"Graveyard"};
-  const std::string vacuum_str_{"Vacuum"};
-  const std::string vacuum_mat_str_{"mat:Vacuum"};
-  const std::string graveyard_mat_str_{"mat:Graveyard"};
   const std::string reflecting_str_{"Reflecting"};
   const std::string white_str_{"White"};
   const std::string periodic_str_{"Periodic"};
+  // Some less constant keyword values
+  std::string graveyard_str_{"Graveyard"};
+  std::string vacuum_str_{"Vacuum"};
+  std::string vacuum_mat_str_{"mat:Vacuum"};
+  std::string graveyard_mat_str_{"mat:Graveyard"};
 
   DagMC_Logger logger;
 };
diff --git a/src/dagmc/tests/dagmc_unit_tests.cpp b/src/dagmc/tests/dagmc_unit_tests.cpp
index a3eab1799..1dafdb380 100644
--- a/src/dagmc/tests/dagmc_unit_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/dagmc/tests/dagmc_unit_tests.cpp
@@ -81,6 +81,64 @@ TEST_F(DagmcMetadataTest, TestMatAssigns) {
   }
 }
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------//
+// FIXTURE-BASED TESTS: Tests to make sure that all volumes have successfully
+// been assigned and successfully retreved from the metadata class
+//---------------------------------------------------------------------------//
+TEST_F(DagmcMetadataTest, TestVacuumName) {
+  // Test default behavior for vacuum name
+  {
+    // new metadata instance
+    dgm = std::make_shared<dagmcMetaData>(DAG.get());
+    // process
+    dgm->load_property_data();
+
+
+    std::string base_property = "mat:Hydrogen";
+    std::string impl_comp_prop = "mat:Vacuum";
+
+    int num_vol = DAG->num_entities(3);
+    std::vector<int> vol_ids = {1, 2, 3, 4};
+
+    std::vector<std::string> vacuum_names = {"Hydrogen", "Hydrogen", "Hydrogen", "Vacuum"};
+    for (int id : vol_ids){
+      std::string mat_prop = dgm->get_volume_property("material", id, false);
+      EXPECT_EQ(mat_prop, vacuum_names[id-1]);
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Changing the vacuum name to detect mat:Hydrogen as the vacuum
+  {
+    dgm = std::make_shared<dagmcMetaData>(DAG.get());
+
+    dgm->set_vacuum_mat_str("mat:Hydrogen");
+    dgm->load_property_data();
+    int num_vol = DAG->num_entities(3);
+    std::vector<int> vol_ids = {1, 2, 3, 4};
+
+    std::vector<std::string> vacuum_names = {"Vacuum", "Vacuum", "Vacuum", "Vacuum"};
+    for (int id : vol_ids){
+      std::string mat_prop = dgm->get_volume_property("material", id, false);
+      EXPECT_EQ(mat_prop, vacuum_names[id-1]);
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Ensuring that partial name overlap don't affect vacuum detection
+  {
+    dgm = std::make_shared<dagmcMetaData>(DAG.get());
+
+    dgm->set_vacuum_mat_str("Hydro");
+    dgm->load_property_data();
+    int num_vol = DAG->num_entities(3);
+    std::vector<int> vol_ids = {1, 2, 3, 4};
+
+    std::vector<std::string> vacuum_names = {"Hydrogen", "Hydrogen", "Hydrogen", "Vacuum"};
+    for (int id : vol_ids){
+      std::string mat_prop = dgm->get_volume_property("material", id, false);
+      EXPECT_EQ(mat_prop, vacuum_names[id-1]);
+    }
+  }
+}
+//---------------------------------------------------------------------------//
 // FIXTURE-BASED TESTS: Tests to make sure that all densities have successfully
 // been assigned and successfully retreved from the metadata class
 // in this test there was no density data assigned, so it should be ""