diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/config/counter/counter_common_1.tcl b/site_ansto/instrument/config/counter/counter_common_1.tcl
index 5bffbc64..bf9bf268 100644
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/config/counter/counter_common_1.tcl
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/config/counter/counter_common_1.tcl
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-# Make and configure an ANSTO beam monitor counter.
-MakeCounter bm anstomonitor [ params host "das1-[SplitReply [instrument]]" port "30000" ]
 bm SetExponent 0
diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/hipd/config/counter/counter.tcl b/site_ansto/instrument/hipd/config/counter/counter.tcl
index c0018bb9..3bdfc518 100644
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/hipd/config/counter/counter.tcl
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/hipd/config/counter/counter.tcl
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+set sim_mode [SplitReply [counter_simulation]]
+if {$sim_mode == "true"} {
+  MakeCounter bm SIM 0.0;
+} else {
 # Make and configure an ANSTO beam monitor counter.
 # This must be sourced before the hmm_configuration.tcl until we separate the scan setup from the hmm setup
+  MakeCounter bm anstomonitor [ params host "das1-[SplitReply [instrument]]" port "30000" ]
+}
+
 source $cfPath(counter)/counter_common_1.tcl
+unset sim_mode
diff --git a/site_ansto/instrument/hrpd/config/counter/counter.tcl b/site_ansto/instrument/hrpd/config/counter/counter.tcl
index c0018bb9..3bdfc518 100644
--- a/site_ansto/instrument/hrpd/config/counter/counter.tcl
+++ b/site_ansto/instrument/hrpd/config/counter/counter.tcl
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+set sim_mode [SplitReply [counter_simulation]]
+if {$sim_mode == "true"} {
+  MakeCounter bm SIM 0.0;
+} else {
 # Make and configure an ANSTO beam monitor counter.
 # This must be sourced before the hmm_configuration.tcl until we separate the scan setup from the hmm setup
+  MakeCounter bm anstomonitor [ params host "das1-[SplitReply [instrument]]" port "30000" ]
+}
+
 source $cfPath(counter)/counter_common_1.tcl
+unset sim_mode