diff --git a/FastSimulation/ParticleDecay/plugins/TestPythiaDecays.cc b/FastSimulation/ParticleDecay/plugins/TestPythiaDecays.cc
index e3849f3541294..9859714579d58 100644
--- a/FastSimulation/ParticleDecay/plugins/TestPythiaDecays.cc
+++ b/FastSimulation/ParticleDecay/plugins/TestPythiaDecays.cc
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class TestPythiaDecays : public edm::stream::EDAnalyzer <> {
   std::map<int,TH1D*> h_br;
   std::map<int,TH1D*> h_br_ref;
 
-  std::map<int,std::vector<string> > knownDecayModes;
+  std::map<int,std::vector<std::string> > knownDecayModes;
 
   Pythia8::Pythia * pythia;
   std::string outputFile;
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ TestPythiaDecays::TestPythiaDecays(const edm::ParameterSet& iConfig)
     h_br[pid]->SetCanExtend(TH1::kAllAxes);
     h_br_ref[pid] = (TH1D*)(h_br[pid]->Clone(strstr.str().c_str()));
     h_br_ref[pid]->SetTitle(h_br_ref[pid]->GetName());
-    knownDecayModes[pid] = vector<string>();
+    knownDecayModes[pid] = std::vector<std::string>();
     for(int d = 0;d<pd->sizeChannels();++d){
       Pythia8::DecayChannel & channel = pd->channel(d);
       std::vector<int> prod;
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ TestPythiaDecays::analyze(const edm::Event& iEvent, const edm::EventSetup& iSetu
      size_t parentIndex = it->first;
      const SimTrack & parent = simtracks->at(parentIndex);
      int pid = abs(parent.type());
-     vector<size_t> & childIndices = it->second;
+     std::vector<size_t> & childIndices = it->second;
      if(childIndices.size() == 0)
        continue;
 
diff --git a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/BuildFile.xml b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/BuildFile.xml
index 6d3d01f253105..048d63026c1a3 100644
--- a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/BuildFile.xml
+++ b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/BuildFile.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 <use name="GeneratorInterface/Core"/>
 <use name="boost"/>
 <use name="pythia8"/>
+<use name="evtgen"/>
 <use name="hepmc"/>
 <use name="clhep"/>
 <export>
diff --git a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/interface/Py8InterfaceBase.h b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/interface/Py8InterfaceBase.h
index c676439e9dbef..697c2ec694d61 100644
--- a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/interface/Py8InterfaceBase.h
+++ b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/interface/Py8InterfaceBase.h
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 #include <Pythia8/Pythia.h>
 #include <Pythia8Plugins/HepMC2.h>
 
+class EvtGenDecays;
+
 namespace CLHEP {
   class HepRandomEngine;
 }
@@ -51,6 +53,13 @@ namespace gen {
 	 unsigned int                   maxEventsToPrint;
          HepMC::IO_AsciiParticles*      ascii_io;
 
+         // EvtGen plugin
+         //
+         bool useEvtGen;
+         EvtGenDecays* evtgenDecays;
+         std::string evtgenDecFile;
+         std::string evtgenPdlFile;
+
       private:
 
          P8RndmEngine p8RndmEngine_;
diff --git a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/EmissionVetoHook1.cc b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/EmissionVetoHook1.cc
index 483a1e62faad4..8a374d1842749 100644
--- a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/EmissionVetoHook1.cc
+++ b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/EmissionVetoHook1.cc
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
+#include "Pythia8/Pythia.h"
+
+using namespace Pythia8;
+
 #include "GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/EmissionVetoHook1.h"
 
 #include "FWCore/ServiceRegistry/interface/Service.h"
-void EmissionVetoHook1::fatalEmissionVeto(string message) {
+void EmissionVetoHook1::fatalEmissionVeto(std::string message) {
   throw edm::Exception(edm::errors::Configuration,"Pythia8Interface")
-    << "EmissionVeto: " << message << endl;
+    << "EmissionVeto: " << message << std::endl;
 }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -56,14 +60,14 @@ double EmissionVetoHook1::pTpythia(const Pythia8::Event &e, int RadAfterBranch,
 
   // Can get negative pT for massive splittings
   if (pTnow < 0.) {
-    cout << "Warning: pTpythia was negative" << endl;
+    std::cout << "Warning: pTpythia was negative" << std::endl;
     return -1.;
   }
 
 #ifdef DBGOUTPUT
-  cout << "pTpythia: rad = " << RadAfterBranch << ", emt = "
+  std::cout << "pTpythia: rad = " << RadAfterBranch << ", emt = "
        << EmtAfterBranch << ", rec = " << RecAfterBranch
-       << ", pTnow = " << sqrt(pTnow) << endl;
+       << ", pTnow = " << sqrt(pTnow) << std::endl;
 #endif
 
   // Return pT
@@ -97,13 +101,13 @@ double EmissionVetoHook1::pTpowheg(const Pythia8::Event &e, int i, int j, bool F
 
   // Check result
   if (pTnow < 0.) {
-    cout << "Warning: pTpowheg was negative" << endl;
+    std::cout << "Warning: pTpowheg was negative" << std::endl;
     return -1.;
   }
 
 #ifdef DBGOUTPUT
-  cout << "pTpowheg: i = " << i << ", j = " << j
-       << ", pTnow = " << pTnow << endl;
+  std::cout << "pTpowheg: i = " << i << ", j = " << j
+       << ", pTnow = " << pTnow << std::endl;
 #endif
 
    return pTnow;
@@ -163,7 +167,7 @@ double EmissionVetoHook1::pTcalc(const Pythia8::Event &e, int i, int j, int k, i
           // ISR - only done once as just kinematical pT
           if (!FSR) {
             pTnow = pTpowheg(e, iInA, jNow, (pTdefMode == 0) ? false : FSR);
-            if (pTnow > 0.) pTemt = (pTemt < 0) ? pTnow : min(pTemt, pTnow);
+            if (pTnow > 0.) pTemt = (pTemt < 0) ? pTnow : std::min(pTemt, pTnow);
   
           // FSR - try all outgoing partons from system before branching 
           // as i. Note that for the hard system, there is no 
@@ -182,7 +186,7 @@ double EmissionVetoHook1::pTcalc(const Pythia8::Event &e, int i, int j, int k, i
               pTnow = pTpowheg(e, iNow, jNow, (pTdefMode == 0) 
                 ? false : FSR);
               if (pTnow > 0.) pTemt = (pTemt < 0) 
-                ? pTnow : min(pTemt, pTnow);
+                ? pTnow : std::min(pTemt, pTnow);
             } // for (iMem)
   
           } // if (!FSR)
@@ -193,9 +197,9 @@ double EmissionVetoHook1::pTcalc(const Pythia8::Event &e, int i, int j, int k, i
           // ISR - other incoming as recoiler
           if (!FSR) {
             pTnow = pTpythia(e, iInA, jNow, iInB, FSR);
-            if (pTnow > 0.) pTemt = (pTemt < 0) ? pTnow : min(pTemt, pTnow);
+            if (pTnow > 0.) pTemt = (pTemt < 0) ? pTnow : std::min(pTemt, pTnow);
             pTnow = pTpythia(e, iInB, jNow, iInA, FSR);
-            if (pTnow > 0.) pTemt = (pTemt < 0) ? pTnow : min(pTemt, pTnow);
+            if (pTnow > 0.) pTemt = (pTemt < 0) ? pTnow : std::min(pTemt, pTnow);
   
           // FSR - try all final-state coloured partons as radiator
           //       after emission (k).
@@ -208,10 +212,10 @@ double EmissionVetoHook1::pTcalc(const Pythia8::Event &e, int i, int j, int k, i
               // Try two incoming.
               pTnow = pTpythia(e, kNow, jNow, iInA, FSR);
               if (pTnow > 0.) pTemt = (pTemt < 0) 
-                ? pTnow : min(pTemt, pTnow);
+                ? pTnow : std::min(pTemt, pTnow);
               pTnow = pTpythia(e, kNow, jNow, iInB, FSR);
               if (pTnow > 0.) pTemt = (pTemt < 0) 
-                ? pTnow : min(pTemt, pTnow);
+                ? pTnow : std::min(pTemt, pTnow);
 
               // Try all other outgoing.
               for (int rNow = 0; rNow < e.size(); rNow++) {
@@ -219,7 +223,7 @@ double EmissionVetoHook1::pTcalc(const Pythia8::Event &e, int i, int j, int k, i
                     !e[rNow].isFinal() || e[rNow].colType() == 0) continue;
                 pTnow = pTpythia(e, kNow, jNow, rNow, FSR);
                 if (pTnow > 0.) pTemt = (pTemt < 0) 
-                  ? pTnow : min(pTemt, pTnow);
+                  ? pTnow : std::min(pTemt, pTnow);
               } // for (rNow)
   
             } // for (kNow)
@@ -230,9 +234,9 @@ double EmissionVetoHook1::pTcalc(const Pythia8::Event &e, int i, int j, int k, i
   } // for (xSR)
 
 #ifdef DBGOUTPUT
-  cout << "pTcalc: i = " << i << ", j = " << j << ", k = " << k
+  std::cout << "pTcalc: i = " << i << ", j = " << j << ", k = " << k
        << ", r = " << r << ", xSR = " << xSRin
-       << ", pTemt = " << pTemt << endl;
+       << ", pTemt = " << pTemt << std::endl;
 #endif
 
   return pTemt;
@@ -274,7 +278,7 @@ bool EmissionVetoHook1::doVetoMPIStep(int nMPI, const Pythia8::Event &e) {
       first = ip;
       break;
     }
-    if(first < 0) fatalEmissionVeto(string("signal particles not found"));
+    if(first < 0) fatalEmissionVeto(std::string("signal particles not found"));
     for(int ip = first; ip < e.size(); ip++) {
       myid = e[ip].id();
       if(abs(myid) < 6 || abs(myid) == 21) continue;
@@ -285,7 +289,7 @@ bool EmissionVetoHook1::doVetoMPIStep(int nMPI, const Pythia8::Event &e) {
 
   // Extra check that we have the correct final state
   if (count != nFinal && count != nFinal + 1)
-    fatalEmissionVeto(string("Wrong number of final state particles in event"));
+    fatalEmissionVeto(std::string("Wrong number of final state particles in event"));
 
   // Flag if POWHEG radiation present and index
   bool isEmt = (count == nFinal) ? false : true;
@@ -314,9 +318,9 @@ bool EmissionVetoHook1::doVetoMPIStep(int nMPI, const Pythia8::Event &e) {
   }
 
   if(Verbosity)
-    cout << "doVetoMPIStep: QFac = " << infoPtr->QFac()
+    std::cout << "doVetoMPIStep: QFac = " << infoPtr->QFac()
          << ", QRen = " << infoPtr->QRen()
-         << ", pThard = " << pThard << endl << endl;
+         << ", pThard = " << pThard << std::endl << std::endl;
 
   // Initialise other variables
   accepted   = false;
@@ -347,12 +351,12 @@ bool EmissionVetoHook1::doVetoISREmission(int, const Pythia8::Event &e, int iSys
   }
   if (iRadAft == -1 || iEmt == -1 || iRecAft == -1) {
     e.list();
-    fatalEmissionVeto(string("Couldn't find Pythia ISR emission"));
+    fatalEmissionVeto(std::string("Couldn't find Pythia ISR emission"));
   }
 
   // pTemtMode == 0: pT of emitted w.r.t. radiator
-  // pTemtMode == 1: min(pT of emitted w.r.t. all incoming/outgoing)
-  // pTemtMode == 2: min(pT of all outgoing w.r.t. all incoming/outgoing)
+  // pTemtMode == 1: std::min(pT of emitted w.r.t. all incoming/outgoing)
+  // pTemtMode == 2: std::min(pT of all outgoing w.r.t. all incoming/outgoing)
   int xSR      = (pTemtMode == 0) ? 0       : -1;
   int i        = (pTemtMode == 0) ? iRadAft : -1;
   int j        = (pTemtMode != 2) ? iEmt    : -1;
@@ -361,7 +365,7 @@ bool EmissionVetoHook1::doVetoISREmission(int, const Pythia8::Event &e, int iSys
   double pTemt = pTcalc(e, i, j, k, r, xSR);
 
 #ifdef DBGOUTPUT
-  cout << "doVetoISREmission: pTemt = " << pTemt << endl << endl;
+  std::cout << "doVetoISREmission: pTemt = " << pTemt << std::endl << std::endl;
 #endif
 
   // Veto if pTemt > pThard
@@ -396,13 +400,13 @@ bool EmissionVetoHook1::doVetoFSREmission(int, const Pythia8::Event &e, int iSys
   if ( (e[iRecAft].status() != 52 && e[iRecAft].status() != -53) ||
        e[iEmt].status() != 51 || e[iRadAft].status() != 51) {
     e.list();
-    fatalEmissionVeto(string("Couldn't find Pythia FSR emission"));
+    fatalEmissionVeto(std::string("Couldn't find Pythia FSR emission"));
   }
 
   // Behaviour based on pTemtMode:
   //  0 - pT of emitted w.r.t. radiator before
-  //  1 - min(pT of emitted w.r.t. all incoming/outgoing)
-  //  2 - min(pT of all outgoing w.r.t. all incoming/outgoing)
+  //  1 - std::min(pT of emitted w.r.t. all incoming/outgoing)
+  //  2 - std::min(pT of all outgoing w.r.t. all incoming/outgoing)
   int xSR = (pTemtMode == 0) ? 1       : -1;
   int i   = (pTemtMode == 0) ? iRadBef : -1;
   int k   = (pTemtMode == 0) ? iRadAft : -1;
@@ -421,11 +425,11 @@ bool EmissionVetoHook1::doVetoFSREmission(int, const Pythia8::Event &e, int iSys
 
     for (int jLoop = 0; jLoop < 2; jLoop++) {
       if      (jLoop == 0) pTemt = pTcalc(e, i, j, k, r, xSR);
-      else if (jLoop == 1) pTemt = min(pTemt, pTcalc(e, i, j, k, r, xSR));
+      else if (jLoop == 1) pTemt = std::min(pTemt, pTcalc(e, i, j, k, r, xSR));
   
       // For emittedMode == 3, have tried iRadAft, now try iEmt
       if (emittedMode != 3) break;
-      if (k != -1) swap(j, k); else j = iEmt;
+      if (k != -1) std::swap(j, k); else j = iEmt;
     }
 
   // If pTemtMode is 2, then try all final-state partons as emitted
@@ -435,7 +439,7 @@ bool EmissionVetoHook1::doVetoFSREmission(int, const Pythia8::Event &e, int iSys
   }
 
 #ifdef DBGOUTPUT
-  cout << "doVetoFSREmission: pTemt = " << pTemt << endl << endl;
+  std::cout << "doVetoFSREmission: pTemt = " << pTemt << std::endl << std::endl;
 #endif
 
   // Veto if pTemt > pThard
@@ -459,8 +463,8 @@ bool EmissionVetoHook1::doVetoMPIEmission(int, const Pythia8::Event &e) {
   if (MPIvetoOn) {
     if (e[e.size() - 1].pT() > pTMPI) {
 #ifdef DBGOUTPUT
-      cout << "doVetoMPIEmission: pTnow = " << e[e.size() - 1].pT()
-           << ", pTMPI = " << pTMPI << endl << endl;
+      std::cout << "doVetoMPIEmission: pTnow = " << e[e.size() - 1].pT()
+           << ", pTMPI = " << pTMPI << std::endl << std::endl;
 #endif
       return true;
     }
diff --git a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/EmissionVetoHook1.h b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/EmissionVetoHook1.h
index 8de630824ca59..9e7bd579599f8 100644
--- a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/EmissionVetoHook1.h
+++ b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/EmissionVetoHook1.h
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#include "Pythia8/Pythia.h"
-
 class EmissionVetoHook1 : public Pythia8::UserHooks {
 
 public:  
@@ -15,8 +13,8 @@ class EmissionVetoHook1 : public Pythia8::UserHooks {
                     MPIvetoOn(MPIvetoOnIn), nISRveto(0), nFSRveto(0),
                     Verbosity(VerbosityIn) {}
  ~EmissionVetoHook1() {
-    cout << "Number of ISR vetoed = " << nISRveto << endl;
-    cout << "Number of FSR vetoed = " << nFSRveto << endl;
+    std::cout << "Number of ISR vetoed = " << nISRveto << std::endl;
+    std::cout << "Number of FSR vetoed = " << nFSRveto << std::endl;
   }
 
 //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -34,7 +32,7 @@ class EmissionVetoHook1 : public Pythia8::UserHooks {
   bool canVetoMPIEmission() { return MPIvetoOn; }
   bool doVetoMPIEmission(int, const Pythia8::Event &e);
 
-  void fatalEmissionVeto(string message);  
+  void fatalEmissionVeto(std::string message);
 
   double pTpythia(const Pythia8::Event &e, int RadAfterBranch,
                   int EmtAfterBranch, int RecAfterBranch, bool FSR);
diff --git a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/LHAupLesHouches.cc b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/LHAupLesHouches.cc
index 8f3089b6e7d6d..912c70be82f40 100644
--- a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/LHAupLesHouches.cc
+++ b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/LHAupLesHouches.cc
@@ -42,10 +42,13 @@ bool LHAupLesHouches::setInit()
     infoPtr->setHeader("slha",slhaheader);
   }  
   
-  //work around missing initialization inside pythia8
-  infoPtr->eventAttributes = new std::map<std::string, std::string >;
-  
-  
+  //will be used to work around missing initialization inside pythia8
+  if(!fEvAttributes) {
+    fEvAttributes = new std::map<std::string, std::string >;
+  } else {
+    fEvAttributes->clear();
+  }
+
   return true;
 }
 
@@ -91,8 +94,13 @@ bool LHAupLesHouches::setEvent(int inProcId)
                 hepeup.SPINUP[i],scalein);
   }
   
-  infoPtr->eventAttributes->clear();
-  
+  if(!infoPtr->eventAttributes) {
+    fEvAttributes->clear();
+    infoPtr->eventAttributes = fEvAttributes;
+  } else {
+    infoPtr->eventAttributes->clear();
+  }
+
   //fill parton multiplicities if available
   int npLO = event->npLO();
   int npNLO = event->npNLO();
diff --git a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/LHAupLesHouches.h b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/LHAupLesHouches.h
index ef3cc3c71b578..8d6eb5f2e0961 100644
--- a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/LHAupLesHouches.h
+++ b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/LHAupLesHouches.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 
 class LHAupLesHouches : public Pythia8::LHAup {
   public:
-    LHAupLesHouches() : setScalesFromLHEF_(false) {;}
+    LHAupLesHouches() : setScalesFromLHEF_(false),fEvAttributes(0) {;}
 
     //void loadRunInfo(const boost::shared_ptr<lhef::LHERunInfo> &runInfo)
     void loadRunInfo(lhef::LHERunInfo* runInfo)
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ class LHAupLesHouches : public Pythia8::LHAup {
       
     void setScalesFromLHEF(bool b) { setScalesFromLHEF_ = b; }
 
+    ~LHAupLesHouches() {if(fEvAttributes) delete fEvAttributes;}
+
   private:
 
     bool setInit();
@@ -46,4 +48,5 @@ class LHAupLesHouches : public Pythia8::LHAup {
     // Flag to set particle production scales or not.
     bool setScalesFromLHEF_;
 
+    std::map<std::string, std::string> * fEvAttributes;
 };
diff --git a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/Py8EGun.cc b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/Py8EGun.cc
index 85e89b42f57d7..531bcbb7346a1 100644
--- a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/Py8EGun.cc
+++ b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/Py8EGun.cc
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 
 #include "GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/interface/Py8GunBase.h"
 
+// EvtGen plugin
+//
+#include "Pythia8Plugins/EvtGen.h"
+
 namespace gen {
 
 class Py8EGun : public Py8GunBase {
@@ -80,11 +84,11 @@ bool Py8EGun::generatePartonsAndHadronize()
       {
          if ( (fMasterGen->particleData).isParticle( -particleID ) )
 	 {
-	    (fMasterGen->event).append( -particleID, 1, 0, 0, px, py, pz, ee, mass );
+	    (fMasterGen->event).append( -particleID, 1, 0, 0, -px, -py, -pz, ee, mass );
 	 }
 	 else
 	 {
-	    (fMasterGen->event).append( particleID, 1, 0, 0, px, py, pz, ee, mass );
+	    (fMasterGen->event).append( particleID, 1, 0, 0, -px, -py, -pz, ee, mass );
 	 }
       }
 
@@ -92,6 +96,8 @@ bool Py8EGun::generatePartonsAndHadronize()
    
    if ( !fMasterGen->next() ) return false;
    
+   if (evtgenDecays) evtgenDecays->decay();
+
    event().reset(new HepMC::GenEvent);
    return toHepMC.fill_next_event( fMasterGen->event, event().get() );
   
diff --git a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/Pythia8Hadronizer.cc b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/Pythia8Hadronizer.cc
index 5fa91d5d5e526..a338632434b06 100644
--- a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/Pythia8Hadronizer.cc
+++ b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/Pythia8Hadronizer.cc
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 #include "Pythia8/Pythia.h"
 #include "Pythia8Plugins/HepMC2.h"
 
+using namespace Pythia8;
+
 #include "GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/interface/Py8InterfaceBase.h"
 
 #include "GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/ReweightUserHooks.h"
@@ -26,6 +28,10 @@
 #include "Pythia8Plugins/PowhegHooks.h"
 #include "GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/plugins/EmissionVetoHook1.h"
 
+// EvtGen plugin
+//
+#include "Pythia8Plugins/EvtGen.h"
+
 #include "FWCore/Concurrency/interface/SharedResourceNames.h"
 #include "FWCore/ServiceRegistry/interface/Service.h"
 #include "FWCore/MessageLogger/interface/MessageLogger.h"
@@ -50,7 +56,7 @@ namespace CLHEP {
 }
 
 using namespace gen;
-using namespace Pythia8;
+
 
 class Pythia8Hadronizer : public BaseHadronizer, public Py8InterfaceBase {
 
@@ -81,7 +87,7 @@ class Pythia8Hadronizer : public BaseHadronizer, public Py8InterfaceBase {
     /// Center-of-Mass energy
     double       comEnergy;
 
-    string LHEInputFileName;
+    std::string LHEInputFileName;
     std::auto_ptr<LHAupLesHouches>  lhaUP;
 
     enum { PP, PPbar, ElectronPositron };
@@ -136,7 +142,7 @@ const std::vector<std::string> Pythia8Hadronizer::p8SharedResources = { edm::Sha
 Pythia8Hadronizer::Pythia8Hadronizer(const edm::ParameterSet &params) :
   BaseHadronizer(params), Py8InterfaceBase(params),
   comEnergy(params.getParameter<double>("comEnergy")),
-  LHEInputFileName(params.getUntrackedParameter<string>("LHEInputFileName","")),
+  LHEInputFileName(params.getUntrackedParameter<std::string>("LHEInputFileName","")),
   fInitialState(PP),
   fReweightUserHook(0),fReweightRapUserHook(0),fReweightPtHatRapUserHook(0),
   fJetMatchingHook(0),fJetMatchingPy8InternalHook(0), fMergingHook(0),
@@ -182,7 +188,7 @@ Pythia8Hadronizer::Pythia8Hadronizer(const edm::ParameterSet &params) :
   }
     
   if( params.exists( "SLHAFileForPythia8" ) ) {
-    std::string slhafilenameshort = params.getParameter<string>("SLHAFileForPythia8");
+    std::string slhafilenameshort = params.getParameter<std::string>("SLHAFileForPythia8");
     edm::FileInPath f1( slhafilenameshort );
     
     fMasterGen->settings.mode("SLHA:readFrom", 2);
@@ -197,7 +203,7 @@ Pythia8Hadronizer::Pythia8Hadronizer(const edm::ParameterSet &params) :
      }  
   }
   else if( params.exists( "SLHATableForPythia8" ) ) {
-    std::string slhatable = params.getParameter<string>("SLHATableForPythia8");
+    std::string slhatable = params.getParameter<std::string>("SLHATableForPythia8");
         
     char tempslhaname[] = "pythia8SLHAtableXXXXXX";
     int fd = mkstemp(tempslhaname);
@@ -374,6 +380,13 @@ bool Pythia8Hadronizer::initializeForInternalPartons()
   edm::LogInfo("Pythia8Interface") << "Initializing Decayer";
   status1 = fDecayer->init();
 
+  if (useEvtGen) {
+    edm::LogInfo("Pythia8Interface") << "Creating and initializing pythia8 EvtGen plugin";
+
+    evtgenDecays = new EvtGenDecays(fMasterGen.get(), evtgenDecFile.c_str(), evtgenPdlFile.c_str());
+    evtgenDecays->readDecayFile("evtgen_userfile.dec");
+  }
+
   return (status&&status1);
 }
 
@@ -427,7 +440,7 @@ bool Pythia8Hadronizer::initializeForExternalPartons()
   }
   
   
-  if(LHEInputFileName != string()) {
+  if(LHEInputFileName != std::string()) {
 
     edm::LogInfo("Pythia8Interface") << "Initialize direct pythia8 reading from LHE file "
                                      << LHEInputFileName;
@@ -467,6 +480,14 @@ bool Pythia8Hadronizer::initializeForExternalPartons()
   edm::LogInfo("Pythia8Interface") << "Initializing Decayer";
   status1 = fDecayer->init();
 
+  if (useEvtGen) {
+    edm::LogInfo("Pythia8Interface") << "Creating and initializing pythia8 EvtGen plugin";
+
+    std::string evtgenpath(getenv("EVTGENDATA"));
+    evtgenDecays = new EvtGenDecays(fMasterGen.get(), evtgenDecFile.c_str(), evtgenPdlFile.c_str());
+    evtgenDecays->readDecayFile("evtgen_userfile.dec");
+  }
+
   return (status&&status1);
 }
 
@@ -495,6 +516,8 @@ bool Pythia8Hadronizer::generatePartonsAndHadronize()
 
   if (!fMasterGen->next()) return false;
 
+  if (evtgenDecays) evtgenDecays->decay();
+
   event().reset(new HepMC::GenEvent);
   return toHepMC.fill_next_event( *(fMasterGen.get()), event().get());
 
@@ -506,7 +529,7 @@ bool Pythia8Hadronizer::hadronize()
   DJR.resize(0);
   nME = -1;
   nMEFiltered = -1;
-  if(LHEInputFileName == string()) lhaUP->loadEvent(lheEvent());
+  if(LHEInputFileName == std::string()) lhaUP->loadEvent(lheEvent());
 
   if ( fJetMatchingHook ) 
   {
@@ -546,6 +569,8 @@ bool Pythia8Hadronizer::hadronize()
   //
   lheEvent()->count( lhef::LHERunInfo::kAccepted, 1.0, mergeweight );
 
+  if (evtgenDecays) evtgenDecays->decay();
+
   event().reset(new HepMC::GenEvent);
   bool py8hepmc =  toHepMC.fill_next_event( *(fMasterGen.get()), event().get());
   if (!py8hepmc) {
@@ -563,8 +588,7 @@ bool Pythia8Hadronizer::hadronize()
   }
 
   return true;
-  
-  
+
 }
 
 
diff --git a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/src/Py8GunBase.cc b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/src/Py8GunBase.cc
index e5018b5ea8d7b..17240678f817a 100644
--- a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/src/Py8GunBase.cc
+++ b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/src/Py8GunBase.cc
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 #include "GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/interface/Py8GunBase.h"
+#include "FWCore/MessageLogger/interface/MessageLogger.h"
 #include "FWCore/Concurrency/interface/SharedResourceNames.h"
 
+// EvtGen plugin
+//
+#include "Pythia8Plugins/EvtGen.h"
+
 using namespace Pythia8;
 
 const std::vector<std::string> gen::Py8GunBase::p8SharedResources = { edm::SharedResourceNames::kPythia8 };
@@ -11,27 +16,26 @@ Py8GunBase::Py8GunBase( edm::ParameterSet const& ps )
    : Py8InterfaceBase(ps)
 {
 
-   runInfo().setFilterEfficiency(
-      ps.getUntrackedParameter<double>("filterEfficiency", -1.) );
-   runInfo().setExternalXSecLO(
-      GenRunInfoProduct::XSec(ps.getUntrackedParameter<double>("crossSection", -1.)) );
-   runInfo().setExternalXSecNLO(
-       GenRunInfoProduct::XSec(ps.getUntrackedParameter<double>("crossSectionNLO", -1.)) );
+  runInfo().setFilterEfficiency(
+    ps.getUntrackedParameter<double>("filterEfficiency", -1.) );
+  runInfo().setExternalXSecLO(
+    GenRunInfoProduct::XSec(ps.getUntrackedParameter<double>("crossSection", -1.)) );
+  runInfo().setExternalXSecNLO(
+    GenRunInfoProduct::XSec(ps.getUntrackedParameter<double>("crossSectionNLO", -1.)) );
 
-  
   // PGun specs
   //
-   edm::ParameterSet pgun_params = 
-      ps.getParameter<edm::ParameterSet>("PGunParameters");
+  edm::ParameterSet pgun_params = 
+    ps.getParameter<edm::ParameterSet>("PGunParameters");
       
-   // although there's the method ParameterSet::empty(),  
-   // it looks like it's NOT even necessary to check if it is,
-   // before trying to extract parameters - if it is empty,
-   // the default values seem to be taken
-   //
-   fPartIDs    = pgun_params.getParameter< std::vector<int> >("ParticleID");
-   fMinPhi     = pgun_params.getParameter<double>("MinPhi"); // ,-3.14159265358979323846);
-   fMaxPhi     = pgun_params.getParameter<double>("MaxPhi"); // , 3.14159265358979323846);
+  // although there's the method ParameterSet::empty(),  
+  // it looks like it's NOT even necessary to check if it is,
+  // before trying to extract parameters - if it is empty,
+  // the default values seem to be taken
+  //
+  fPartIDs    = pgun_params.getParameter< std::vector<int> >("ParticleID");
+  fMinPhi     = pgun_params.getParameter<double>("MinPhi"); // ,-3.14159265358979323846);
+  fMaxPhi     = pgun_params.getParameter<double>("MaxPhi"); // , 3.14159265358979323846);
    
 }
 
@@ -40,20 +44,27 @@ Py8GunBase::Py8GunBase( edm::ParameterSet const& ps )
 bool Py8GunBase::initializeForInternalPartons()
 {
 
-   // NO MATTER what was this setting below, override it before init 
-   // - this is essencial for the PGun mode 
+  // NO MATTER what was this setting below, override it before init 
+  // - this is essencial for the PGun mode 
    
-   // Key requirement: switch off ProcessLevel, and thereby also PartonLevel.
-   fMasterGen->readString("ProcessLevel:all = off");
-   fMasterGen->readString("ProcessLevel::resonanceDecays=on");
-   fMasterGen->init();
+  // Key requirement: switch off ProcessLevel, and thereby also PartonLevel.
+  fMasterGen->readString("ProcessLevel:all = off");
+  fMasterGen->readString("ProcessLevel::resonanceDecays=on");
+  fMasterGen->init();
    
-   // init decayer
-   fDecayer->readString("ProcessLevel:all = off"); // Same trick!
-   fDecayer->readString("ProcessLevel::resonanceDecays=on");
-   fDecayer->init();
+  // init decayer
+  fDecayer->readString("ProcessLevel:all = off"); // Same trick!
+  fDecayer->readString("ProcessLevel::resonanceDecays=on");
+  fDecayer->init();
   
-   return true;
+  if (useEvtGen) {
+    edm::LogInfo("Pythia8Interface") << "Creating and initializing pythia8 EvtGen plugin";
+
+    evtgenDecays = new EvtGenDecays(fMasterGen.get(), evtgenDecFile.c_str(), evtgenPdlFile.c_str());
+    evtgenDecays->readDecayFile("evtgen_userfile.dec");
+  }
+
+  return true;
 
 }
 
diff --git a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/src/Py8InterfaceBase.cc b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/src/Py8InterfaceBase.cc
index c6c1eaeef1cfc..2c86a61a71f49 100644
--- a/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/src/Py8InterfaceBase.cc
+++ b/GeneratorInterface/Pythia8Interface/src/Py8InterfaceBase.cc
@@ -3,11 +3,16 @@
 #include "FWCore/Utilities/interface/Exception.h"
 #include "FWCore/MessageLogger/interface/MessageLogger.h"
 
+// EvtGen plugin
+//
+//#include "Pythia8Plugins/EvtGen.h"
+
 using namespace Pythia8;
 
 namespace gen {
 
-Py8InterfaceBase::Py8InterfaceBase( edm::ParameterSet const& ps )
+Py8InterfaceBase::Py8InterfaceBase( edm::ParameterSet const& ps ) :
+useEvtGen(false), evtgenDecays(0)
 {
   fMasterGen.reset(new Pythia);
   fDecayer.reset(new Pythia);
@@ -27,6 +32,23 @@ Py8InterfaceBase::Py8InterfaceBase( edm::ParameterSet const& ps )
 
   if(pythiaHepMCVerbosityParticles)
     ascii_io = new HepMC::IO_AsciiParticles("cout", std::ios::out);
+
+  if ( ps.exists("useEvtGenPlugin") ) {
+
+    useEvtGen = true;
+
+    string evtgenpath(getenv("EVTGENDATA"));
+    evtgenDecFile = evtgenpath + string("/DECAY_2010.DEC");
+    evtgenPdlFile = evtgenpath + string("/evt.pdl");
+
+    if ( ps.exists( "evtgenDecFile" ) )
+      evtgenDecFile = ps.getParameter<string>("evtgenDecFile");
+
+    if ( ps.exists( "evtgenPdlFile" ) )
+      evtgenPdlFile = ps.getParameter<string>("evtgenPdlFile");
+
+  }
+
 }
 
 bool Py8InterfaceBase::readSettings( int )