diff --git a/COLA.hh b/COLA.hh
index b103456..455c7ff 100644
--- a/COLA.hh
+++ b/COLA.hh
@@ -193,8 +193,12 @@ namespace cola {
                     "kName variable must be a string");
     }
 
-    std::unique_ptr<VFilter> Create(const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& /* metaData */) override {
-      return std::make_unique<Filter>();
+    std::unique_ptr<VFilter> Create(const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& meta_data) override {
+      if constexpr (std::is_constructible_v<Filter, decltype(meta_data)>) {
+        return std::make_unique<Filter>(meta_data);
+      } else {
+        return std::make_unique<Filter>();
+      }
     }
 
     const std::string& GetFilterName() const final { return Filter::kName; }
diff --git a/tests/cola_test.cc b/tests/cola_test.cc
index 77d0bdc..ee6cca3 100644
--- a/tests/cola_test.cc
+++ b/tests/cola_test.cc
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <sstream>
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <string>
+#include <unordered_map>
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -116,6 +117,70 @@ class TestWriter : public VWriter {
   }
 };
 
+namespace {
+
+  class ConfiguredConverter : public VConverter {
+   public:
+    // NOLINTNEXTLINE(bugprone-throwing-static-initialization)
+    static inline const std::string kName = "ConfiguredConverter";
+
+    explicit ConfiguredConverter(const std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string>& parameters)
+        : factor_(std::stod(parameters.at("factor"))) {}
+
+    std::unique_ptr<EventData> operator()(std::unique_ptr<EventData>&& data) override {
+      for (auto& particle : data->particles) {
+        particle.momentum.x *= factor_;
+      }
+      return std::move(data);
+    }
+
+   private:
+    double factor_;
+  };
+
+  class OptionalConfiguredConverter : public ConfiguredConverter {
+   public:
+    OptionalConfiguredConverter() : ConfiguredConverter({{"factor", "1"}}) {}
+    using ConfiguredConverter::ConfiguredConverter;
+  };
+
+}  // namespace
+
+TEST(ColaFactory, MetadataConstructorPreferredOverDefault) {
+  GenericFactory<OptionalConfiguredConverter> factory;
+  auto filter = factory.Create({{"factor", "3"}});
+  auto* converter = dynamic_cast<VConverter*>(filter.get());
+  ASSERT_NE(converter, nullptr);
+  TestGenerator generator;
+  const auto result = (*converter)(generator());
+  EXPECT_DOUBLE_EQ(result->particles[0].momentum.x, 0.1 * 3);
+}
+
+TEST(ColaFactory, InvalidMetadataPropagates) {
+  GenericFactory<ConfiguredConverter> factory;
+  EXPECT_THROW(factory.Create({}), std::out_of_range);
+  EXPECT_THROW(factory.Create({{"factor", "invalid"}}), std::invalid_argument);
+}
+
+TEST(ColaFactory, XmlConfiguresNonDefaultConstructibleFilter) {
+  auto xml = std::stringstream(R"(<root>
+      <generator name="TestGenerator"/>
+      <converter name="ConfiguredConverter" factor="4"/>
+      <writer name="TestWriter"/>
+    </root>)");
+  MetaProcessor processor;
+  processor.Register(std::make_unique<GenericFactory<TestGenerator>>());
+  processor.Register(std::make_unique<GenericFactory<ConfiguredConverter>>());
+  processor.Register(std::make_unique<GenericFactory<TestWriter>>());
+  auto ensemble = processor.Parse(xml);
+  auto* writer = dynamic_cast<TestWriter*>(ensemble.writer.get());
+  ASSERT_NE(writer, nullptr);
+  ColaRunManager manager(std::move(ensemble));
+  manager.Run();
+  ASSERT_EQ(writer->recorded_events.size(), 1);
+  EXPECT_DOUBLE_EQ(writer->recorded_events[0]->particles[0].momentum.x, 0.4);
+}
+
 TEST(ColaPdgTest, CircularConsistency) {
   for (uint16_t atomic_mass = 1; atomic_mass < 100; ++atomic_mass) {
     for (uint16_t charge_number = 0; charge_number <= atomic_mass; ++charge_number) {