diff --git a/src/cross_section.F90 b/src/cross_section.F90
index db2aa0f1be..f58cf6d3cb 100644
--- a/src/cross_section.F90
+++ b/src/cross_section.F90
@@ -160,24 +160,6 @@ contains
         end if
       end if
 
-      kT = sqrtkT**2
-
-      select case (temperature_method)
-      case (TEMPERATURE_NEAREST)
-        i_temp = minloc(abs(nuclides(i_nuclide) % kTs - kT), dim=1)
-
-      case (TEMPERATURE_INTERPOLATION)
-        ! Find temperatures that bound the actual temperature
-        do i_temp = 1, size(nuc % kTs) - 1
-          if (nuc % kTs(i_temp) <= kT .and. kT < nuc % kTs(i_temp + 1)) exit
-        end do
-
-        ! Randomly sample between temperature i and i+1
-        f = (kT - nuc % kTs(i_temp)) / &
-             (nuc % kTs(i_temp + 1) - nuc % kTs(i_temp))
-        if (f > prn()) i_temp = i_temp + 1
-      end select
-
       ! Evaluate multipole or interpolate
       if (use_mp) then
         ! Call multipole kernel
@@ -202,22 +184,44 @@ contains
         ! 3. tally.F90 - score_general - For tallying on MTxxx reactions.
         ! 4. cross_section.F90 - calculate_urr_xs - For unresolved purposes.
         ! It is worth noting that none of these occur in the resolved
-        ! resonance range, so the value here does not matter.
-        micro_xs(i_nuclide) % index_temp    = i_temp
+        ! resonance range, so the value here does not matter.  index_temp is
+        ! set to -1 to force a segfault in case a developer messes up and tries
+        ! to use it with multipole.
+        micro_xs(i_nuclide) % index_temp    = -1
         micro_xs(i_nuclide) % index_grid    = 0
         micro_xs(i_nuclide) % interp_factor = ZERO
+
       else
+        ! Find the appropriate temperature index.
+        kT = sqrtkT**2
+        select case (temperature_method)
+        case (TEMPERATURE_NEAREST)
+          i_temp = minloc(abs(nuclides(i_nuclide) % kTs - kT), dim=1)
+
+        case (TEMPERATURE_INTERPOLATION)
+          ! Find temperatures that bound the actual temperature
+          do i_temp = 1, size(nuc % kTs) - 1
+            if (nuc % kTs(i_temp) <= kT .and. kT < nuc % kTs(i_temp + 1)) exit
+          end do
+
+          ! Randomly sample between temperature i and i+1
+          f = (kT - nuc % kTs(i_temp)) / &
+               (nuc % kTs(i_temp + 1) - nuc % kTs(i_temp))
+          if (f > prn()) i_temp = i_temp + 1
+        end select
+
         associate (grid => nuc % grid(i_temp), xs => nuc % sum_xs(i_temp))
-          ! Determine the energy grid index using a logarithmic mapping to reduce
-          ! the energy range over which a binary search needs to be performed
+          ! Determine the energy grid index using a logarithmic mapping to
+          ! reduce the energy range over which a binary search needs to be
+          ! performed
 
           if (E < grid % energy(1)) then
             i_grid = 1
           elseif (E > grid % energy(size(grid % energy))) then
             i_grid = size(grid % energy) - 1
           else
-            ! Determine bounding indices based on which equal log-spaced interval
-            ! the energy is in
+            ! Determine bounding indices based on which equal log-spaced
+            ! interval the energy is in
             i_low  = grid % grid_index(i_log_union)
             i_high = grid % grid_index(i_log_union + 1) + 1