diff --git a/source/adios2/operator/compress/CompressMGARD.cpp b/source/adios2/operator/compress/CompressMGARD.cpp
index 0c3cb27879..57a3bf2831 100644
--- a/source/adios2/operator/compress/CompressMGARD.cpp
+++ b/source/adios2/operator/compress/CompressMGARD.cpp
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ size_t CompressMGARD::Operate(const char *dataIn, const Dims &blockStart, const
     double tolerance = 0.0;
     double s = 0.0;
     auto errorBoundType = mgard_x::error_bound_type::REL;
+    mgard_x::Config config;
+    config.lossless = mgard_x::lossless_type::Huffman_Zstd;
 
     // input size under this bound will not compress
     size_t thresholdSize = 100000;
@@ -135,6 +137,24 @@ size_t CompressMGARD::Operate(const char *dataIn, const Dims &blockStart, const
             errorBoundType = mgard_x::error_bound_type::REL;
         }
     }
+    if (auto itLosslessType = m_Parameters.find("lossless_type");
+        itLosslessType != m_Parameters.end())
+    {
+        if (itLosslessType->second == "huffman")
+        {
+            config.lossless = mgard_x::lossless_type::Huffman;
+        }
+        else if (itLosslessType->second == "huffman_zstd")
+        {
+            config.lossless = mgard_x::lossless_type::Huffman_Zstd;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            helper::Throw<std::invalid_argument>(
+                "Operator", "CompressMGARD", "Operate",
+                "MGARD only supports huffman/huffman_zstd lossless types");
+        }
+    }
 
     // let mgard know the output buffer size
     size_t sizeOut = helper::GetTotalSize(blockCount, helper::GetDataTypeSize(type));
@@ -147,9 +167,6 @@ size_t CompressMGARD::Operate(const char *dataIn, const Dims &blockStart, const
         return 0;
     }
 
-    mgard_x::Config config;
-    config.lossless = mgard_x::lossless_type::Huffman_Zstd;
-
     PutParameter(bufferOut, bufferOutOffset, true);
     void *compressedData = bufferOut + bufferOutOffset;
     mgard_x::compress(mgardDim, mgardType, mgardCount, tolerance, s, errorBoundType, dataIn,
diff --git a/source/adios2/operator/compress/CompressMGARDComplex.cpp b/source/adios2/operator/compress/CompressMGARDComplex.cpp
index a1e81607af..7d9eb621a6 100644
--- a/source/adios2/operator/compress/CompressMGARDComplex.cpp
+++ b/source/adios2/operator/compress/CompressMGARDComplex.cpp
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ size_t CompressMGARDComplex::Operate(const char *dataIn, const Dims &blockStart,
     double tolerance = 0.0;
     double s = 0.0;
     auto errorBoundType = mgard_x::error_bound_type::REL;
+    mgard_x::Config config;
+    config.lossless = mgard_x::lossless_type::Huffman_Zstd;
 
     // input size under this bound will not compress
     size_t thresholdSize = 100000;
@@ -129,6 +131,24 @@ size_t CompressMGARDComplex::Operate(const char *dataIn, const Dims &blockStart,
             errorBoundType = mgard_x::error_bound_type::REL;
         }
     }
+    if (auto itLosslessType = m_Parameters.find("lossless_type");
+        itLosslessType != m_Parameters.end())
+    {
+        if (itLosslessType->second == "huffman")
+        {
+            config.lossless = mgard_x::lossless_type::Huffman;
+        }
+        else if (itLosslessType->second == "huffman_zstd")
+        {
+            config.lossless = mgard_x::lossless_type::Huffman_Zstd;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            helper::Throw<std::invalid_argument>(
+                "Operator", "CompressMGARD", "Operate",
+                "MGARD only supports huffman/huffman_zstd lossless types");
+        }
+    }
 
     // Calculate sizes
     const size_t totalElements = helper::GetTotalSize(blockCount, 1); // Number of complex elements
@@ -143,9 +163,6 @@ size_t CompressMGARDComplex::Operate(const char *dataIn, const Dims &blockStart,
         return 0;
     }
 
-    mgard_x::Config config;
-    config.lossless = mgard_x::lossless_type::Huffman_Zstd;
-
     // Check for device parameter
     auto itDevice = m_Parameters.find("device");
     if (itDevice != m_Parameters.end())
@@ -371,4 +388,4 @@ bool CompressMGARDComplex::IsDataTypeValid(const DataType type) const
 
 } // end namespace compress
 } // end namespace core
-} // end namespace adios2
\ No newline at end of file
+} // end namespace adios2