diff --git a/DataFormats/Detectors/Common/include/DetectorsCommonDataFormats/NameConf.h b/DataFormats/Detectors/Common/include/DetectorsCommonDataFormats/NameConf.h
index b903c673490a1..c089c1008efba 100644
--- a/DataFormats/Detectors/Common/include/DetectorsCommonDataFormats/NameConf.h
+++ b/DataFormats/Detectors/Common/include/DetectorsCommonDataFormats/NameConf.h
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class NameConf
     return o2::utils::concat_string(prefix, "_", DIGITS_STRING, d.getName(), ".root");
   }
 
-  // Filename to store kinematics + TrackRefs
+  // Filename to store general run parameters (GRP)
   static std::string getGRPFileName(const std::string_view prefix = STANDARDSIMPREFIX)
   {
     return o2::utils::concat_string(prefix, "_", GRP_STRING, ".root");
@@ -61,6 +61,12 @@ class NameConf
     return o2::utils::concat_string(prefix, "_", KINE_STRING, ".root");
   }
 
+  // Filename to store kinematics + TrackRefs
+  static std::string getMCHeadersFileName(const std::string_view prefix = STANDARDSIMPREFIX)
+  {
+    return o2::utils::concat_string(prefix, "_", MCHEADER_STRING, ".root");
+  }
+
   // Filename to store final MC configuration file
   static std::string getMCConfigFileName(const std::string_view prefix = STANDARDSIMPREFIX)
   {
@@ -104,6 +110,7 @@ class NameConf
   static constexpr std::string_view DIGITS_STRING = "Digits"; // hardcoded
   static constexpr std::string_view GRP_STRING = "grp";       // hardcoded
   static constexpr std::string_view KINE_STRING = "Kine";     // hardcoded
+  static constexpr std::string_view MCHEADER_STRING = "MCHeader"; // hardcoded
   static constexpr std::string_view GEOM_FILE_STRING = "geometry";
   static constexpr std::string_view CUT_FILE_STRING = "proc-cut";
   static constexpr std::string_view CONFIG_STRING = "configuration";
diff --git a/DataFormats/simulation/include/SimulationDataFormat/MCEventHeader.h b/DataFormats/simulation/include/SimulationDataFormat/MCEventHeader.h
index 863220e5f10bb..f2889c9bca134 100644
--- a/DataFormats/simulation/include/SimulationDataFormat/MCEventHeader.h
+++ b/DataFormats/simulation/include/SimulationDataFormat/MCEventHeader.h
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ class MCEventHeader : public FairMCEventHeader
 
   MCEventStats& getMCEventStats() { return mEventStats; }
 
+  /// create a standalone ROOT file/tree with only the MCHeader branch
+  static void extractFileFromKinematics(std::string_view kinefilename, std::string_view targetfilename);
+
  protected:
   std::string mEmbeddingFileName;
   Int_t mEmbeddingEventIndex = 0;
diff --git a/DataFormats/simulation/src/MCEventHeader.cxx b/DataFormats/simulation/src/MCEventHeader.cxx
index 0d32dc18d019c..6b43cc9c86afd 100644
--- a/DataFormats/simulation/src/MCEventHeader.cxx
+++ b/DataFormats/simulation/src/MCEventHeader.cxx
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 
 #include "SimulationDataFormat/MCEventHeader.h"
 #include "FairRootManager.h"
+#include <TFile.h>
+#include <TTree.h>
 
 namespace o2
 {
@@ -32,6 +34,32 @@ void MCEventHeader::Reset()
   mEmbeddingEventIndex = 0;
 }
 
+void MCEventHeader::extractFileFromKinematics(std::string_view kinefilename, std::string_view targetfilename)
+{
+  auto oldfile = TFile::Open(kinefilename.data());
+  auto kinetree = (TTree*)oldfile->Get("o2sim");
+  // deactivate all branches
+  kinetree->SetBranchStatus("*", 0);
+  // activate the header branch
+  kinetree->SetBranchStatus("MCEventHeader*", 1);
+  // create a new file + a clone of old tree header. Do not copy events
+  auto newfile = TFile::Open(targetfilename.data(), "RECREATE");
+  auto newtree = kinetree->CloneTree(0);
+  // here we copy the branches
+  newtree->CopyEntries(kinetree, kinetree->GetEntries());
+  newtree->SetEntries(kinetree->GetEntries());
+  // flush to disk
+  newtree->Write();
+  newfile->Close();
+  delete newfile;
+
+  // clean
+  if (oldfile) {
+    oldfile->Close();
+    delete oldfile;
+  }
+}
+
 /*****************************************************************/
 /*****************************************************************/
 
diff --git a/macro/migrateSimFiles.C b/macro/migrateSimFiles.C
index cf0ff9650d0d6..243fc0965d88c 100644
--- a/macro/migrateSimFiles.C
+++ b/macro/migrateSimFiles.C
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ void migrateSimFiles(const char* filebase = "o2sim")
   auto kinematicsfile = o2::base::NameConf::getMCKinematicsFileName(filebase);
   copyBranch(originalfilename.c_str(), kinematicsfile.c_str(), o2::detectors::SimTraits::KINEMATICSBRANCHES);
 
+  // split off additional MCHeaders file
+  std::vector<std::string> headerbranches = {"MCEventHeader"};
+  auto headersfile = o2::base::NameConf::getMCHeadersFileName(filebase);
+  copyBranch(originalfilename.c_str(), headersfile.c_str(), headerbranches);
+
   // loop over all possible detectors
   for (auto detid = o2::detectors::DetID::First; detid <= o2::detectors::DetID::Last; ++detid) {
     if (!grp->isDetReadOut(detid)) {
diff --git a/run/o2sim_parallel.cxx b/run/o2sim_parallel.cxx
index 670704e51dc73..1862a0e69fec3 100644
--- a/run/o2sim_parallel.cxx
+++ b/run/o2sim_parallel.cxx
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "Framework/FreePortFinder.h"
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include "DetectorsCommonDataFormats/NameConf.h"
+#include "SimulationDataFormat/MCEventHeader.h"
 
 #include "rapidjson/document.h"
 #include "rapidjson/writer.h"
@@ -458,6 +459,18 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   // (mainly useful for continuous integration / automated testing suite)
   auto returncode = checkresult();
   if (returncode == 0) {
+    // Extract a single file for MCEventHeaders
+    // This file will be small and can quickly unblock start of signal transport (in embedding).
+    // This is useful when we cache background events on the GRID. The headers file can be copied quickly
+    // and the rest of kinematics + Hits may follow asyncronously since they are only needed at much
+    // later stages (digitization).
+
+    auto& conf = o2::conf::SimConfig::Instance();
+    // easy check: see if we have number of entries in output tree == number of events asked
+    std::string kinefilename = o2::base::NameConf::getMCKinematicsFileName(conf.getOutPrefix().c_str());
+    std::string headerfilename = o2::base::NameConf::getMCHeadersFileName(conf.getOutPrefix().c_str());
+    o2::dataformats::MCEventHeader::extractFileFromKinematics(kinefilename, headerfilename);
+
     LOG(INFO) << "SIMULATION RETURNED SUCCESFULLY";
   }