diff --git a/src/geometry.F90 b/src/geometry.F90
index efad826e59..a50e55252a 100644
--- a/src/geometry.F90
+++ b/src/geometry.F90
@@ -560,7 +560,8 @@ contains
       end select
 
       ! Set new particle direction
-      p % coord0 % uvw = (/ u, v, w /)
+      norm = sqrt(u*u + v*v + w*w)
+      p % coord0 % uvw = [u, v, w] / norm
 
       ! Reassign particle's cell and surface
       p % coord0 % cell = last_cell
diff --git a/src/input_xml.F90 b/src/input_xml.F90
index 229282bfe1..617788e472 100644
--- a/src/input_xml.F90
+++ b/src/input_xml.F90
@@ -2552,7 +2552,9 @@ contains
 
        ! create dictionary entry for both name and alias
        call xs_listing_dict % add_key(listing % name, i)
-       call xs_listing_dict % add_key(listing % alias, i)
+       if (listing % alias /= '') then
+         call xs_listing_dict % add_key(listing % alias, i)
+       end if
     end do
 
   end subroutine read_cross_sections_xml
diff --git a/src/templates/cross_sections_t.xml b/src/templates/cross_sections_t.xml
index 07bdaddb99..0852b85042 100644
--- a/src/templates/cross_sections_t.xml
+++ b/src/templates/cross_sections_t.xml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
   <typedef name="ace_table_xml">
     <component name="name" type="word" length="15" />
-    <component name="alias" type="word" length="15" />
+    <component name="alias" type="word" length="15" default="''" />
     <component name="type" type="word" length="10" default="'neutron'" />
     <component name="zaid" type="integer" default="0" />
     <component name="metastable" type="integer" default="0" />