diff --git a/medcat/cat.py b/medcat/cat.py
index 200ffc7b..e3f69c7f 100644
--- a/medcat/cat.py
+++ b/medcat/cat.py
@@ -356,6 +356,7 @@ def load_model_pack(cls,
                         zip_path: str,
                         meta_cat_config_dict: Optional[Dict] = None,
                         ner_config_dict: Optional[Dict] = None,
+                        medcat_config_dict: Optional[Dict] = None,
                         load_meta_models: bool = True,
                         load_addl_ner: bool = True,
                         load_rel_models: bool = True) -> "CAT":
@@ -373,6 +374,10 @@ def load_model_pack(cls,
                 A config dict that will overwrite existing configs in transformers ner.
                 e.g. ner_config_dict = {'general': {'chunking_overlap_window': 6}.
                 Defaults to None.
+            medcat_config_dict (Optional[Dict]):
+                A config dict that will overwrite existing configs in the main medcat config
+                before pipe initialisation. This can be useful if wanting to change something
+                that only takes effect at init time (e.g spacy model). Defaults to None.
             load_meta_models (bool):
                 Whether to load MetaCAT models if present (Default value True).
             load_addl_ner (bool):
@@ -395,7 +400,7 @@ def load_model_pack(cls,
 
         # load config
         config_path = os.path.join(model_pack_path, "config.json")
-        cdb.load_config(config_path)
+        cdb.load_config(config_path, medcat_config_dict)
 
         # TODO load addl_ner
 
diff --git a/medcat/cdb.py b/medcat/cdb.py
index e6384336..89fd3d8e 100644
--- a/medcat/cdb.py
+++ b/medcat/cdb.py
@@ -515,7 +515,17 @@ async def save_async(self, path: str) -> None:
             }
             await f.write(dill.dumps(to_save))
 
-    def load_config(self, config_path: str) -> None:
+    def load_config(self, config_path: str, config_dict: Optional[Dict] = None) -> None:
+        """Load the config from disk.
+
+        Args:
+            config_path (str): The path to the config file.
+            config_dict (Optional[Dict]): A config to merge with.
+
+        Raises:
+            ValueError: If a config was not found in CDB nor as a separate json.
+                Or if a config was found both in CDB as well as a separate json.
+        """
         if not os.path.exists(config_path):
             if not self._config_from_file:
                 # if there's no config defined anywhere
@@ -544,6 +554,8 @@ def load_config(self, config_path: str) -> None:
             # new config, potentially new weighted_average_function to read
             self._init_waf_from_config()
         # mark config read from file
+        if config_dict:
+            self.config.merge_config(config_dict)
         self._config_from_file = True
 
     @classmethod