diff --git a/include/openmc/hdf5_interface.h b/include/openmc/hdf5_interface.h
index fa64605513..d3cc558bae 100644
--- a/include/openmc/hdf5_interface.h
+++ b/include/openmc/hdf5_interface.h
@@ -375,5 +375,11 @@ write_dataset(hid_t obj_id, const char* name, Position r)
   write_dataset(obj_id, name, buffer);
 }
 
+inline void
+write_dataset(hid_t obj_id, const char* name, std::string buffer)
+{
+  write_string(obj_id, name, buffer.c_str(), false);
+}
+
 } // namespace openmc
 #endif // OPENMC_HDF5_INTERFACE_H
diff --git a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter.h b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter.h
index e50e70fd10..73b8eda64e 100644
--- a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter.h
+++ b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter.h
@@ -32,10 +32,10 @@ extern std::vector<TallyFilter*> tally_filters;
 class TallyFilterMatch
 {
 public:
-  int i_bin;
+  //int i_bin;
   std::vector<int> bins;
   std::vector<double> weights;
-  bool bins_present;
+  //bool bins_present;
 };
 
 //==============================================================================
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ public:
 class TallyFilter
 {
 public:
+  virtual std::string type() const = 0;
+
   virtual ~TallyFilter() = 0;
 
   virtual void from_xml(pugi::xml_node node) = 0;
@@ -52,7 +54,12 @@ public:
   virtual void
   get_all_bins(Particle* p, int estimator, TallyFilterMatch& match) const = 0;
 
-  virtual void to_statepoint(hid_t filter_group) const {}
+  virtual void
+  to_statepoint(hid_t filter_group) const
+  {
+    write_dataset(filter_group, "type", type());
+    write_dataset(filter_group, "n_bins", n_bins_);
+  }
 
   virtual std::string text_label(int bin) const = 0;
 
diff --git a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_cell.h b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_cell.h
index 972fafddb4..cdf9a00cf5 100644
--- a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_cell.h
+++ b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_cell.h
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ namespace openmc {
 class CellFilter : public TallyFilter
 {
 public:
+  virtual std::string type() const override {return "cell";}
+
   virtual ~CellFilter() override = default;
 
   virtual void
@@ -61,8 +63,7 @@ public:
   virtual void
   to_statepoint(hid_t filter_group) const override
   {
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "type", "cell");
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "n_bins", n_bins_);
+    TallyFilter::to_statepoint(filter_group);
     std::vector<int32_t> cell_ids;
     for (auto c : cells_) cell_ids.push_back(cells[c]->id_);
     write_dataset(filter_group, "bins", cell_ids);
diff --git a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_cellborn.h b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_cellborn.h
index 814b4d6b9f..92e8721e77 100644
--- a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_cellborn.h
+++ b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_cellborn.h
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ namespace openmc {
 class CellbornFilter : public CellFilter
 {
 public:
+  virtual std::string type() const override {return "cellborn";}
+
   virtual void
   get_all_bins(Particle* p, int estimator, TallyFilterMatch& match)
   const override
@@ -20,16 +22,6 @@ public:
     }
   }
 
-  virtual void
-  to_statepoint(hid_t filter_group) const override
-  {
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "type", "cellborn");
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "n_bins", n_bins_);
-    std::vector<int32_t> cell_ids;
-    for (auto c : cells_) cell_ids.push_back(cells[c]->id_);
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "bins", cell_ids);
-  }
-
   virtual std::string
   text_label(int bin) const override
   {
diff --git a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_cellfrom.h b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_cellfrom.h
index a0eca932ac..1b7e8f6db8 100644
--- a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_cellfrom.h
+++ b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_cellfrom.h
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ namespace openmc {
 class CellFromFilter : public CellFilter
 {
 public:
+  virtual std::string type() const override {return "cellfrom";}
+
   virtual void
   get_all_bins(Particle* p, int estimator, TallyFilterMatch& match)
   const override
@@ -23,16 +25,6 @@ public:
     }
   }
 
-  virtual void
-  to_statepoint(hid_t filter_group) const override
-  {
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "type", "cellfrom");
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "n_bins", cells_.size());
-    std::vector<int32_t> cell_ids;
-    for (auto c : cells_) cell_ids.push_back(cells[c]->id_);
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "bins", cell_ids);
-  }
-
   virtual std::string
   text_label(int bin) const override
   {
diff --git a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_distribcell.h b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_distribcell.h
index b29520caa7..97a016bc46 100644
--- a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_distribcell.h
+++ b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_distribcell.h
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ namespace openmc {
 class DistribcellFilter : public TallyFilter
 {
 public:
+  virtual std::string type() const override {return "distribcell";}
+
   virtual ~DistribcellFilter() override = default;
 
   virtual void
@@ -72,8 +74,7 @@ public:
   virtual void
   to_statepoint(hid_t filter_group) const override
   {
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "type", "distribcell");
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "n_bins", n_bins_);
+    TallyFilter::to_statepoint(filter_group);
     write_dataset(filter_group, "bins", cells[cell_]->id_);
   }
 
diff --git a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_mesh.h b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_mesh.h
index 01ffbae6f1..0fba1ca0cc 100644
--- a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_mesh.h
+++ b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_mesh.h
@@ -15,14 +15,18 @@ namespace openmc {
 class MeshFilter : public TallyFilter
 {
 public:
+  virtual std::string type() const override {return "mesh";}
+
   virtual ~MeshFilter() override = default;
 
   virtual void
   from_xml(pugi::xml_node node) override
   {
     auto bins_ = get_node_array<int32_t>(node, "bins");
-    if (bins_.size() != 1)
-      fatal_error("Only one mesh can be specified per mesh filter.");
+    if (bins_.size() != 1) {
+      fatal_error("Only one mesh can be specified per " + type()
+                  + " mesh filter.");
+    }
 
     auto id = bins_[0];
     auto search = mesh_map.find(id);
@@ -56,8 +60,7 @@ public:
   virtual void
   to_statepoint(hid_t filter_group) const override
   {
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "type", "mesh");
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "n_bins", n_bins_);
+    TallyFilter::to_statepoint(filter_group);
     write_dataset(filter_group, "bins", meshes[mesh_]->id_);
   }
 
diff --git a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_meshsurface.h b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_meshsurface.h
index 7b374b0a64..99a748481d 100644
--- a/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_meshsurface.h
+++ b/include/openmc/tallies/tally_filter_meshsurface.h
@@ -7,33 +7,20 @@
 #include "openmc/constants.h"
 #include "openmc/error.h"
 #include "openmc/mesh.h"
-#include "openmc/tallies/tally_filter.h"
+#include "openmc/tallies/tally_filter_mesh.h"
 
 
 namespace openmc {
 
-class MeshSurfaceFilter : public TallyFilter
+class MeshSurfaceFilter : public MeshFilter
 {
 public:
-  virtual ~MeshSurfaceFilter() override = default;
+  virtual std::string type() const override {return "meshsurface";}
 
   virtual void
   from_xml(pugi::xml_node node) override
   {
-    auto bins_ = get_node_array<int32_t>(node, "bins");
-    if (bins_.size() != 1)
-      fatal_error("Only one mesh can be specified per mesh filter.");
-
-    auto id = bins_[0];
-    auto search = mesh_map.find(id);
-    if (search != mesh_map.end()) {
-      mesh_ = search->second;
-    } else{
-      std::stringstream err_msg;
-      err_msg << "Could not find cell " << id << " specified on tally filter.";
-      fatal_error(err_msg);
-    }
-
+    MeshFilter::from_xml(node);
     n_bins_ = 4 * meshes[mesh_]->n_dimension_;;
     for (auto dim : meshes[mesh_]->shape_) n_bins_ *= dim;
   }
@@ -46,14 +33,6 @@ public:
     for (auto b : match.bins) match.weights.push_back(1.0);
   }
 
-  virtual void
-  to_statepoint(hid_t filter_group) const override
-  {
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "type", "meshsurface");
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "n_bins", n_bins_);
-    write_dataset(filter_group, "bins", meshes[mesh_]->id_);
-  }
-
   virtual std::string
   text_label(int bin) const override
   {
@@ -65,45 +44,37 @@ public:
     int i_surf = ((bin - 1) % (4 * n_dim)) + 1;
 
     // Get mesh index part of label.
-    int ijk[n_dim];
-    mesh.get_indices_from_bin(i_mesh, ijk);
-    std::stringstream out;
-    out << "Mesh Index (" << ijk[0];
-    if (n_dim > 1) out << ", " << ijk[1];
-    if (n_dim > 2) out << ", " << ijk[2];
-    out << ")";
+    std::string out = MeshFilter::text_label(i_mesh);
 
     // Get surface part of label.
     if (i_surf == OUT_LEFT) {
-      out << " Outgoing, x-min";
+      out += " Outgoing, x-min";
     } else if (i_surf == IN_LEFT) {
-      out << " Incoming, x-min";
+      out += " Incoming, x-min";
     } else if (i_surf == OUT_RIGHT) {
-      out << " Outgoing, x-max";
+      out += " Outgoing, x-max";
     } else if (i_surf == IN_RIGHT) {
-      out << " Incoming, x-max";
+      out += " Incoming, x-max";
     } else if (i_surf == OUT_BACK) {
-      out << " Outgoing, y-min";
+      out += " Outgoing, y-min";
     } else if (i_surf == IN_BACK) {
-      out << " Incoming, y-min";
+      out += " Incoming, y-min";
     } else if (i_surf == OUT_FRONT) {
-      out << " Outgoing, y-max";
+      out += " Outgoing, y-max";
     } else if (i_surf == IN_FRONT) {
-      out << " Incoming, y-max";
+      out += " Incoming, y-max";
     } else if (i_surf == OUT_BOTTOM) {
-      out << " Outgoing, z-min";
+      out += " Outgoing, z-min";
     } else if (i_surf == IN_BOTTOM) {
-      out << " Incoming, z-min";
+      out += " Incoming, z-min";
     } else if (i_surf == OUT_TOP) {
-      out << " Outgoing, z-max";
+      out += " Outgoing, z-max";
     } else if (i_surf == IN_TOP) {
-      out << " Incoming, z-max";
+      out += " Incoming, z-max";
     }
 
-    return out.str();
+    return out;
   }
-
-  int32_t mesh_;
 };
 
 } // namespace openmc
diff --git a/src/geometry_aux.cpp b/src/geometry_aux.cpp
index 1da7bd78b7..ee19497880 100644
--- a/src/geometry_aux.cpp
+++ b/src/geometry_aux.cpp
@@ -188,9 +188,8 @@ prepare_distribcell()
   // Find all cells listed in a DistribcellFilter.
   std::unordered_set<int32_t> distribcells;
   for (auto* filt : tally_filters) {
-    //TODO: replace this cast
-    auto* distrib_filt = dynamic_cast<DistribcellFilter*>(filt);
-    if (distrib_filt) {
+    if (filt->type() == "distribcell") {
+      auto* distrib_filt = static_cast<DistribcellFilter*>(filt);
       distribcells.insert(distrib_filt->cell_);
     }
   }