diff --git a/openmc/universe.py b/openmc/universe.py
index 59a41a44f1..c246e33bb0 100644
--- a/openmc/universe.py
+++ b/openmc/universe.py
@@ -653,16 +653,25 @@ class DAGMCUniverse(UniverseBase):
         Name of the universe
     filename : str
         Path to the DAGMC file used to represent this universe.
-    auto_ids : bool
+    auto_geom_ids : bool
         Set IDs automatically on initialization (True) or report overlaps
         in ID space between CSG and DAGMC (False)
+    auto_mat_ids : bool
+        Set IDs automatically on initialization (True)  or report overlaps
+        in ID space between OpenMC and UWUW materials (False)
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, filename, universe_id=None, name='', auto_ids=False):
+    def __init__(self,
+                 filename,
+                 universe_id=None,
+                 name='',
+                 auto_geom_ids=False,
+                 auto_mat_ids=False):
         super().__init__(universe_id, name)
         # Initialize class attributes
         self.filename = filename
-        self.auto_ids = auto_ids
+        self.auto_geom_ids = auto_geom_ids
+        self.auto_mat_ids = auto_mat_ids
 
     def __repr__(self):
         fmt_str = '{: <16}=\t{}\n'
@@ -681,13 +690,22 @@ class DAGMCUniverse(UniverseBase):
         self._filename = val
 
     @property
-    def auto_ids(self):
-        return self._auto_ids
+    def auto_geom_ids(self):
+        return self._auto_geom_ids
 
-    @auto_ids.setter
-    def auto_ids(self, val):
-        cv.check_type('DAGMC auto ids', val, bool)
-        self._auto_ids = val
+    @auto_geom_ids.setter
+    def auto_geom_ids(self, val):
+        cv.check_type('DAGMC automatic geometry ids', val, bool)
+        self._auto_geom_ids = val
+
+    @property
+    def auto_mat_ids(self):
+        return self._auto_mat_ids
+
+    @auto_geom_ids.setter
+    def auto_mat_ids(self, val):
+        cv.check_type('DAGMC automatic material ids', val, bool)
+        self._auto_mat_ids = val
 
     def clone(self, clone_materials=True, clone_regions=True, memo=None):
         pass
@@ -710,7 +728,9 @@ class DAGMCUniverse(UniverseBase):
         dagmc_element = ET.Element('dagmc')
         dagmc_element.set('id', str(self.id))
         dagmc_element.set('name', self.name)
-        if self.auto_ids:
-            dagmc_element.set('auto_ids', 'true')
+        if self.auto_geom_ids:
+            dagmc_element.set('auto_geom_ids', 'true')
+        if self.auto_mat_ids:
+            dagmc_element.set('auto_mat_ids', 'true')
         dagmc_element.set('filename', self.filename)
         xml_element.append(dagmc_element)
diff --git a/src/dagmc.cpp b/src/dagmc.cpp
index e6d0d56a2c..8a54b1546f 100644
--- a/src/dagmc.cpp
+++ b/src/dagmc.cpp
@@ -223,9 +223,15 @@ DAGUniverse::DAGUniverse(pugi::xml_node node) {
   }
 
   adjust_geometry_ids_ = false;
-  if (check_for_node(node, "auto_ids")) {
-    adjust_geometry_ids_ = get_node_value_bool(node, "auto_ids");
+  if (check_for_node(node, "auto_geom_ids")) {
+    adjust_geometry_ids_ = get_node_value_bool(node, "auto_geom_ids");
   }
+
+  adjust_material_ids_ = false;
+  if (check_for_node(node, "auto_mat_ids")) {
+    adjust_geometry_ids_ = get_node_value_bool(node, "auto_mat_ids");
+  }
+
   initialize();
 }
 
@@ -280,8 +286,6 @@ void DAGUniverse::initialize() {
   // notify user if UWUW materials are going to be used
   if (using_uwuw) {
     write_message("Found UWUW Materials in the DAGMC geometry file.", 6);
-
-
   }
 
   // load the DAGMC geometry
diff --git a/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/refl/inputs_true.dat b/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/refl/inputs_true.dat
index fdd68002d6..ca3cba5f04 100644
--- a/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/refl/inputs_true.dat
+++ b/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/refl/inputs_true.dat
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
 <geometry>
-  <dagmc auto_ids="true" filename="dagmc.h5m" id="9" name="" />
+  <dagmc auto_geom_ids="true" auto_mat_ids="true" filename="dagmc.h5m" id="9" name="" />
 </geometry>
 <?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
 <materials>
diff --git a/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/refl/test.py b/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/refl/test.py
index 2b43caf89e..2f4162b16a 100644
--- a/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/refl/test.py
+++ b/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/refl/test.py
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ class UWUWTest(PyAPITestHarness):
         model.settings.export_to_xml()
 
         # geometry
-        dag_univ = openmc.DAGMCUniverse("dagmc.h5m")
-        dag_univ.auto_ids = True
+        dag_univ = openmc.DAGMCUniverse("dagmc.h5m", auto_geom_ids=True)
         model.geometry = openmc.Geometry(root=dag_univ)
 
         # tally
diff --git a/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/universes/inputs_true.dat b/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/universes/inputs_true.dat
index f8acb45ccc..3113159393 100644
--- a/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/universes/inputs_true.dat
+++ b/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/universes/inputs_true.dat
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
 <geometry>
   <cell fill="9" id="13" region="9 -10 11 -12 13 -14" universe="10" />
-  <dagmc auto_ids="true" filename="dagmc.h5m" id="9" name="" />
+  <dagmc auto_geom_ids="true" auto_mat_ids="true" filename="dagmc.h5m" id="9" name="" />
   <surface boundary="reflective" coeffs="-24.0" id="9" name="left" type="x-plane" />
   <surface boundary="reflective" coeffs="24.0" id="10" name="right" type="x-plane" />
   <surface boundary="reflective" coeffs="-24.0" id="11" name="front" type="y-plane" />
diff --git a/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/universes/test.py b/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/universes/test.py
index 0144a0c3a8..2ae2b0e9f2 100644
--- a/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/universes/test.py
+++ b/tests/regression_tests/dagmc/universes/test.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class DAGMCUniverseTest(PyAPITestHarness):
 
         ### GEOMETRY ###
         # create the DAGMC universe
-        pincell_univ = openmc.DAGMCUniverse(filename='dagmc.h5m', auto_ids=True)
+        pincell_univ = openmc.DAGMCUniverse(filename='dagmc.h5m', auto_geom_ids=True)
 
         left = openmc.XPlane(x0=-24.0, name='left', boundary_type='reflective')
         right = openmc.XPlane(x0=24.0, name='right', boundary_type='reflective')