diff --git a/src/spikeinterface/generation/drifting_generator.py b/src/spikeinterface/generation/drifting_generator.py
index 7c388713d7..5529c56a4f 100644
--- a/src/spikeinterface/generation/drifting_generator.py
+++ b/src/spikeinterface/generation/drifting_generator.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 
 import numpy as np
 
-from probeinterface import generate_multi_columns_probe
+from probeinterface import generate_multi_columns_probe, get_probe, generate_tetrode
 
 from spikeinterface import Templates
 from spikeinterface.core import ms_to_samples
@@ -24,52 +24,56 @@
 from .drift_tools import DriftingTemplates, make_linear_displacement, InjectDriftingTemplatesRecording
 from .noise_tools import generate_noise
 
-# this should be moved in probeinterface but later
-_toy_probes = {
-    "Neuropixels1-384": dict(
-        num_columns=4,
-        num_contact_per_column=[96] * 4,
-        xpitch=16,
-        ypitch=40,
-        y_shift_per_column=[20, 0, 20, 0],
-        contact_shapes="square",
-        contact_shape_params={"width": 12},
-    ),
-    "Neuropixels2-384": dict(
-        num_columns=2,
-        num_contact_per_column=[192] * 2,
-        xpitch=32,
-        ypitch=15,
-        contact_shapes="square",
-        contact_shape_params={"width": 12},
-    ),
-    "Neuropixels2-128": dict(
-        num_columns=2,
-        num_contact_per_column=[64] * 2,
-        xpitch=32,
-        ypitch=15,
-        contact_shapes="square",
-        contact_shape_params={"width": 12},
-    ),
-    "Neuropixels1-128": dict(
-        num_columns=4,
-        num_contact_per_column=[32] * 4,
-        xpitch=16,
-        ypitch=40,
-        y_shift_per_column=[20, 0, 20, 0],
-        contact_shapes="square",
-        contact_shape_params={"width": 12},
-    ),
-    "Neuronexus-32": dict(
-        num_columns=3,
-        num_contact_per_column=[10, 12, 10],
-        xpitch=30,
-        ypitch=30,
-        y_shift_per_column=[0, -15, 0],
-        contact_shapes="circle",
-        contact_shape_params={"radius": 8},
-    ),
-}
+
+def _make_probe_by_name(probe_name: str):
+    """
+    Generates a probe from probeinterface library, using the manufacturer name combined with the probe name, e.g.
+        - 'cambridgeneurotech/ASSY-37-H7b'
+        - 'cambridgeneurotech#ASSY-37-H7b'
+        - 'imec#NP1000"
+
+    This function replace the old `_toy_probes` dict that generate probe using `generate_multi_columns_probe()`
+    """
+    if probe_name == "Neuropixels1-384":
+        probe = get_probe("imec", "NP1000")
+        probe = probe.get_slice(np.arange(384))
+    elif probe_name == "Neuropixels1-128":
+        probe = get_probe("imec", "NP1000")
+        probe = probe.get_slice(np.arange(128))
+    elif probe_name == "Neuropixels2-384":
+        probe = get_probe("imec", "NP2000")
+        probe = probe.get_slice(np.arange(384))
+    elif probe_name == "Neuropixels2-128":
+        probe = get_probe("imec", "NP2000")
+        probe = probe.get_slice(np.arange(128))
+    elif probe_name == "Neuronexus-32":
+        # this probe was not existing really, it was a 'generic' 32 channels
+        # lets keep as before
+        probe = generate_multi_columns_probe(
+            num_columns=3,
+            num_contact_per_column=[10, 12, 10],
+            xpitch=30,
+            ypitch=30,
+            y_shift_per_column=[0, -15, 0],
+            contact_shapes="circle",
+            contact_shape_params={"radius": 8},
+        )
+    elif probe_name == "tetrode":
+        probe = generate_tetrode()
+    elif probe_name == "sinaps-128":
+        probe = get_probe("sinaps-research-platform", "p1024s1NHP")
+        order = np.argsort(probe.contact_ids.astype("int64"))
+        probe = probe.get_slice(order[:128])
+    elif "/" in probe_name:
+        manufacturer, probe_name_ = probe_name.split("/")
+        probe = get_probe(manufacturer, probe_name_)
+    elif "#" in probe_name:
+        manufacturer, probe_name_ = probe_name.split("#")
+        probe = get_probe(manufacturer, probe_name_)
+    else:
+        raise ValueError("wring probe_name")
+
+    return probe
 
 
 def make_one_displacement_vector(
@@ -449,10 +453,11 @@ def generate_drifting_recording(
 
     # probe
     if probe is None:
-        if generate_probe_kwargs is None:
-            generate_probe_kwargs = _toy_probes[probe_name]
-
-        probe = generate_multi_columns_probe(**generate_probe_kwargs)
+        if generate_probe_kwargs is not None:
+            probe = generate_multi_columns_probe(**generate_probe_kwargs)
+        else:
+            probe = _make_probe_by_name(probe_name)
+        # the wiring do not matter because the traces are generated after using the channel locations
         num_channels = probe.get_contact_count()
         probe.set_device_channel_indices(np.arange(num_channels))
 
diff --git a/src/spikeinterface/generation/tests/test_drifing_generator.py b/src/spikeinterface/generation/tests/test_drifing_generator.py
index a7f6040ec2..5eb49a04c6 100644
--- a/src/spikeinterface/generation/tests/test_drifing_generator.py
+++ b/src/spikeinterface/generation/tests/test_drifing_generator.py
@@ -95,6 +95,23 @@ def test_generate_drifting_recording():
         seed=2205,
     )
 
+    static_recording, drifting_recording, sorting = generate_drifting_recording(
+        num_units=10,
+        probe_name="cambridgeneurotech/ASSY-1-E-1",
+        seed=2205,
+    )
+    static_recording, drifting_recording, sorting = generate_drifting_recording(
+        num_units=10,
+        probe_name="cambridgeneurotech#ASSY-1-E-1",
+        seed=2205,
+    )
+
+    static_recording, drifting_recording, sorting = generate_drifting_recording(
+        num_units=10,
+        probe_name="Neuropixels2-128",
+        seed=2205,
+    )
+
     # print(static_recording)
     # print(drifting_recording)
     # print(sorting)
@@ -104,6 +121,6 @@ def test_generate_drifting_recording():
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     # test_make_one_displacement_vector()
-    test_generate_displacement_vector()
+    # test_generate_displacement_vector()
     # test_generate_noise()
-    # test_generate_drifting_recording()
+    test_generate_drifting_recording()