diff --git a/openmc/weight_windows.py b/openmc/weight_windows.py
index 3a9bfff6dd..5b43331c00 100644
--- a/openmc/weight_windows.py
+++ b/openmc/weight_windows.py
@@ -159,6 +159,35 @@ class WeightWindows(IDManagerMixin):
         string += '{: <16}=\t{}\n'.format('\tWeight Cutoff', self._weight_cutoff)
         return string
 
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        # ensure that `other` is a WeightWindows object
+        if not isinstance(other, WeightWindows):
+            return False
+
+        # TODO: add ability to check mesh equality
+
+        # check a few more attributes directly
+        attrs = ('particle_type',
+                 'survival_ratio',
+                 'max_lower_bound_ratio',
+                 'max_split',
+                 'weight_cutoff')
+        for attr in attrs:
+            if getattr(self, attr) != getattr(other, attr):
+                return False
+
+        # save most expensive checks for last
+        if not np.array_equal(self.energy_bounds, other.energy_bounds):
+            return False
+
+        if not np.array_equal(self.lower_ww_bounds, other.lower_ww_bounds):
+            return False
+
+        if not np.array_equal(self.upper_ww_bounds, other.upper_ww_bounds):
+            return False
+
+        return True
+
     @property
     def mesh(self):
         return self._mesh
@@ -341,7 +370,7 @@ class WeightWindows(IDManagerMixin):
         particle_type = get_text(elem, 'particle_type')
         survival_ratio = float(get_text(elem, 'survival_ratio'))
 
-        ww_shape = (len(e_bounds) - 1,) + mesh.dimension[::-1]
+        ww_shape = (len(e_bounds) - 1,) + tuple(mesh.dimension[::-1])
         lower_ww_bounds = np.array(lower_ww_bounds).reshape(ww_shape).T
         upper_ww_bounds = np.array(upper_ww_bounds).reshape(ww_shape).T
 
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/weightwindows/test.py b/tests/unit_tests/weightwindows/test.py
index 51e2fdc62e..18a7385616 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/weightwindows/test.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/weightwindows/test.py
@@ -10,6 +10,45 @@ from openmc.stats import Discrete, Point
 
 from tests import cdtemp
 
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def wws():
+
+    # weight windows
+
+    # load pre-generated weight windows
+    # (created using the same tally as above)
+    ww_n_lower_bnds = np.loadtxt('ww_n.txt')
+    ww_p_lower_bnds = np.loadtxt('ww_p.txt')
+
+    # create a mesh matching the one used
+    # to generate the weight windows
+    ww_mesh = openmc.RegularMesh()
+    ww_mesh.lower_left = (-240, -240, -240)
+    ww_mesh.upper_right = (240, 240, 240)
+    ww_mesh.dimension = (5, 6, 7)
+
+    # energy bounds matching those of the
+    # generated weight windows
+    e_bnds = [0.0, 0.5, 2E7]
+
+    ww_n = openmc.WeightWindows(ww_mesh,
+                                ww_n_lower_bnds,
+                                None,
+                                10.0,
+                                e_bnds,
+                                survival_ratio=1.01)
+
+    ww_p = openmc.WeightWindows(ww_mesh,
+                                ww_p_lower_bnds,
+                                None,
+                                10.0,
+                                e_bnds,
+                                survival_ratio=1.01)
+
+    return [ww_n, ww_p]
+
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def model():
     openmc.reset_auto_ids()
@@ -80,7 +119,7 @@ def model():
     return model
 
 
-def test_weightwindows(model):
+def test_weightwindows(model, wws):
 
     ww_files = ('ww_n.txt', 'ww_p.txt')
     cwd = Path(__file__).parent.absolute()
@@ -92,39 +131,7 @@ def test_weightwindows(model):
         analog_sp = model.run()
         os.rename(analog_sp, 'statepoint.analog.h5')
 
-        # weight windows
-
-        # load pre-generated weight windows
-        # (created using the same tally as above)
-        ww_n_lower_bnds = np.loadtxt('ww_n.txt')
-        ww_p_lower_bnds = np.loadtxt('ww_p.txt')
-
-        # create a mesh matching the one used
-        # to generate the weight windows
-        ww_mesh = openmc.RegularMesh()
-        ww_mesh.lower_left = (-240, -240, -240)
-        ww_mesh.upper_right = (240, 240, 240)
-        ww_mesh.dimension = (5, 6, 7)
-
-        # energy bounds matching those of the
-        # generated weight windows
-        e_bnds = [0.0, 0.5, 2E7]
-
-        ww_n = openmc.WeightWindows(ww_mesh,
-                                    ww_n_lower_bnds,
-                                    None,
-                                    10.0,
-                                    e_bnds,
-                                    survival_ratio=1.01)
-
-        ww_p = openmc.WeightWindows(ww_mesh,
-                                    ww_p_lower_bnds,
-                                    None,
-                                    10.0,
-                                    e_bnds,
-                                    survival_ratio=1.01)
-
-        model.settings.weight_windows = [ww_n, ww_p]
+        model.settings.weight_windows = wws
 
         # check that string form of the class can be created
         for ww in model.settings.weight_windows:
@@ -211,3 +218,20 @@ def test_lower_ww_bounds_shape():
         energy_bounds=(1, 1e40)
     )
     assert ww.lower_ww_bounds.shape == (2, 3, 4, 1)
+
+
+def test_roundtrip(model, wws):
+    model.settings.weight_windows = wws
+
+    # write the model with weight windows to XML
+    model.export_to_xml()
+
+    # ensure that they can be read successfully from XML and that they match the input values
+    model_read = openmc.Model.from_xml()
+
+    zipped_wws = zip(model.settings.weight_windows,
+                     model_read.settings.weight_windows)
+
+    # ensure the lower bounds read in from the XML match those of the
+    for ww_out, ww_in in zipped_wws:
+        assert(ww_out == ww_in)