diff --git a/src/cmfd_header.F90 b/src/cmfd_header.F90
index 3b9db1ea0b..2a9edd084d 100644
--- a/src/cmfd_header.F90
+++ b/src/cmfd_header.F90
@@ -49,9 +49,6 @@ module cmfd_header
     ! core map for xs association
     integer, allocatable :: coremap(:,:,:)
 
-    ! we may need to add the mesh object
-    ! add accumulation of important parameters
-
   end type cmfd_obj
 
 end module cmfd_header
diff --git a/src/cmfd_utils.F90 b/src/cmfd_utils.F90
index fdde35d455..7fff76f410 100644
--- a/src/cmfd_utils.F90
+++ b/src/cmfd_utils.F90
@@ -17,9 +17,49 @@ contains
 ! READ_INPUT reads the CMFD input file and organizes it into a data structure
 !===============================================================================
 
-  subroutine read_input()
+  subroutine read_cmfd_xml()
 
-  end subroutine read_input
+    use xml_data_cmfd_t
+
+    integer :: ng=1        ! number of energy groups (default 1)
+    integer :: n_words     ! number of words read
+    logical :: file_exists ! does cmfd.xml exist?
+    character(MAX_LINE_LEN) :: filename
+    character(MAX_WORD_LEN) :: words(MAX_WORDS)
+
+    ! read cmfd infput file
+    filename = trim(path_input) // "cmfd.xml"
+    inquire(FILE=filename, EXIST=file_exists)
+    if (.not. file_exists) then
+      write(*,*) "Cannot perform CMFD"
+      STOP
+    end if
+
+    ! parse cmfd.xml file
+    call read_xml_file_cmfd_t(filename)
+
+    ! set spatial dimensions in cmfd object
+    cmfd % indices(1:3) = mesh_ % dimension(1:3) ! sets spatial dimensions
+
+    ! get number of energy groups
+    if (len_trim(mesh_ % energy) > 0) then
+      call split_string(mesh_ % energy, words, n_words)
+      ng = n_words
+    end if
+    cmfd % indices(4) = ng  ! sets energy group dimension
+
+    ! set global albedo
+    cmfd % albedo = mesh_ % albedo
+
+    ! get acceleration map
+    allocate(cmfd % coremap(cmfd % indices(1), cmfd % indices(2),              &
+   &         cmfd % indices(3)))
+    cmfd % coremap = reshape(mesh_ % map,(cmfd % indices(1:3)))
+
+    ! create tally objects
+    call create_cmfd_tally()
+
+  end subroutine read_cmfd_xml
 
 !===============================================================================
 ! GET_MATRIX_IDX takes (x,y,z,g) indices and computes location in matrix 
@@ -106,7 +146,7 @@ contains
 
   subroutine create_cmfd_tally()
 
-    use xml_data_cmfd_t
+    use xml_data_cmfd_t 
 
     integer :: i           ! loop counter
     integer :: j           ! loop counter
@@ -115,22 +155,14 @@ contains
     integer :: n           ! size of arrays in mesh specification
     integer :: ng=1        ! number of energy groups (default 1)
     integer :: n_words     ! number of words read
-    logical :: file_exists ! does cmfd.xml file exist?
     character(MAX_LINE_LEN) :: filename
     character(MAX_WORD_LEN) :: words(MAX_WORDS)
     type(TallyObject),    pointer :: t => null()
     type(StructuredMesh), pointer :: m => null()
 
-    ! check if cmfd.xml exists
-    filename = trim(path_input) // "cmfd.xml"
-    inquire(FILE=filename, EXIST=file_exists)
-    if (.not. file_exists) then
-      write(*,*) "Cannot perform CMFD"
-      STOP
-    end if
-
     ! parse cmfd.xml file
-    call read_xml_file_cmfd_t(filename)
+     filename = trim(path_input) // "cmfd.xml"
+     call read_xml_file_cmfd_t(filename)
 
     ! allocate mesh
     n_meshes = 1
@@ -282,13 +314,6 @@ contains
 
     end do
 
-    ! set dimensions in cmfd object
-    cmfd % indices(1:3) = m % dimension(1:3) ! sets spatial dimensions
-    cmfd % indices(4) = ng  ! sets energy group dimension
-
-    ! set global albedo
-    cmfd % albedo = mesh_ % albedo
-
   end subroutine create_cmfd_tally
 
 end module cmfd_utils
diff --git a/src/input_xml.F90 b/src/input_xml.F90
index 776e0a6f2e..cc8b2e21d2 100644
--- a/src/input_xml.F90
+++ b/src/input_xml.F90
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module input_xml
 
-  use cmfd_utils,      only: create_cmfd_tally
+  use cmfd_utils,      only: read_cmfd_xml 
   use constants
   use datatypes,       only: dict_create, dict_add_key, dict_has_key,          &
                              dict_get_key
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ contains
     call read_geometry_xml()
     call read_materials_xml()
     call read_tallies_xml()
-    call create_cmfd_tally()
+    call read_cmfd_xml()
     if (plotting) call read_plot_xml()
 
   end subroutine read_input_xml
diff --git a/src/xml-fortran/templates/cmfd_t.xml b/src/xml-fortran/templates/cmfd_t.xml
index 1f1e69ffed..0b590c20f6 100644
--- a/src/xml-fortran/templates/cmfd_t.xml
+++ b/src/xml-fortran/templates/cmfd_t.xml
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@
     <component name="origin" type="double-array" />
     <component name="width" type="double-array" />
     <component name="albedo" type="double-array" />
+    <component name="map" type="integer-array" />
+    <component name="energy" type="word" length="250" default="''" />
   </typedef>
 
   <variable name="mesh_" tag="mesh" type="mesh_xml" />
-  <variable name="energy_" tag="energy" type="word" length="250" default="''" />
 
 </template>