diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/IgnitionConfigurationHandler.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/IgnitionConfigurationHandler.java
index ebf413267..e05248d7d 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/IgnitionConfigurationHandler.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/IgnitionConfigurationHandler.java
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ class IgnitionConfigurationHandler extends AbstractElementHandler {
 		
 	}
 	
-	
 	@Override
 	public ElementHandler openElement(String element, HashMap<String, String> attributes,
 			WarningSet warnings) {
@@ -37,10 +36,6 @@ class IgnitionConfigurationHandler extends AbstractElementHandler {
 		content = content.trim();
 		
 		if (element.equals("ignitionevent")) {
-			if ( content.equals( "automatic")){
-				content = "launch";
-				warnings.add( Warning.fromString("'automatic' separation is deprecated and has been converted to the 'launch' setting."));
-			}
 
 			for (IgnitionEvent ie : IgnitionEvent.values()) {
 				if (ie.equals(content)) {
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/MotorMountHandler.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/MotorMountHandler.java
index 7b7c8807e..eb24e256a 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/MotorMountHandler.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/MotorMountHandler.java
@@ -77,6 +77,12 @@ class MotorMountHandler extends AbstractElementHandler {
 			RocketComponent mountComponent = (RocketComponent)mount;
 			motorInstance.setID( new MotorInstanceId(mountComponent.getID(), 1));
 			motorInstance.setEjectionDelay(motorHandler.getDelay(warnings));
+			
+			// pull event data from defaults
+			MotorInstance defInstance = mount.getDefaultMotorInstance();
+			motorInstance.setIgnitionEvent( defInstance.getIgnitionEvent());
+			motorInstance.setIgnitionDelay( defInstance.getIgnitionDelay());
+			
 			mount.setMotorInstance(fcid, motorInstance);
 
 			Rocket rkt = ((RocketComponent)mount).getRocket();
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/AxialStage.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/AxialStage.java
index 0b1a34cd5..4c677eb70 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/AxialStage.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/AxialStage.java
@@ -117,6 +117,10 @@ public class AxialStage extends ComponentAssembly implements FlightConfigurableC
 	public boolean isAfter(){ 
 		return true;
 	}
+	
+	public boolean isLaunchStage(){
+		return ( getRocket().getBottomCoreStage().equals(this));
+	}
 
 	public void setStageNumber(final int newStageNumber) {
 		this.stageNumber = newStageNumber;
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FlightConfigurationID.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FlightConfigurationID.java
index 71d59b231..eeee7d033 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FlightConfigurationID.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FlightConfigurationID.java
@@ -23,11 +23,17 @@ public final class FlightConfigurationID implements Comparable<FlightConfigurati
 	}
 	
 	public FlightConfigurationID(final String _str) {
+		UUID candidate;
 		if("".equals(_str)){
-			this.key = UUID.randomUUID();
+			candidate = UUID.randomUUID();
 		}else{
-			this.key = UUID.fromString( _str);
+			try{
+				candidate = UUID.fromString( _str);
+			}catch( IllegalArgumentException iae ){
+				candidate = new UUID( 0, _str.hashCode() );
+			}
 		}
+		this.key = candidate;
 	}
 	
 	public FlightConfigurationID(final UUID _val) {
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/IgnitionEvent.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/IgnitionEvent.java
index 8a0eb7a08..2aac350be 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/IgnitionEvent.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/IgnitionEvent.java
@@ -8,24 +8,19 @@ import net.sf.openrocket.startup.Application;
 
 public enum IgnitionEvent {
 	
-//	//// Automatic (launch or ejection charge)
-//	AUTOMATIC( "AUTOMATIC", "MotorMount.IgnitionEvent.AUTOMATIC"){
-//		@Override
-//		public boolean isActivationEvent(FlightEvent e, RocketComponent source) {
-//			int count = source.getRocket().getStageCount();
-//			AxialStage stage = (AxialStage)source;
-//
-//	        if ( stage instanceof ParallelStage ){
-//	        	return LAUNCH.isActivationEvent(e, source);
-//	        }else if (????){
-//              // no good option here.  The non-sequential nature of
-//				// parallel stages prevents us from using the simple test as previousyl
-//				return LAUNCH.isActivationEvent(e, source);
-//			} else {
-//				return EJECTION_CHARGE.isActivationEvent(e, source);
-//			}
-//		}
-//	},
+	//// Automatic (launch or ejection charge)
+	AUTOMATIC( "AUTOMATIC", "MotorMount.IgnitionEvent.AUTOMATIC"){
+		@Override
+		public boolean isActivationEvent(FlightEvent e, RocketComponent source) {
+			AxialStage stage = (AxialStage)source;
+
+	        if ( stage.isLaunchStage() ){
+				return LAUNCH.isActivationEvent(e, source);
+			} else {
+				return EJECTION_CHARGE.isActivationEvent(e, source);
+			}
+		}
+	},
 	LAUNCH ( "LAUNCH", "MotorMount.IgnitionEvent.LAUNCH"){
 		@Override
 		public boolean isActivationEvent( FlightEvent fe, RocketComponent source){
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/ParallelStage.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/ParallelStage.java
index 12c346d47..4856969b8 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/ParallelStage.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/ParallelStage.java
@@ -105,6 +105,11 @@ public class ParallelStage extends AxialStage implements FlightConfigurableCompo
 	public boolean isAfter(){ 
 		return false;
 	}
+	
+	@Override
+	public boolean isLaunchStage(){
+		return true;
+	}
 
 	@Override 
 	public void setInstanceCount( final int newCount ){
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/Rocket.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/Rocket.java
index b1600ba7f..fb31d9e17 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/Rocket.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/Rocket.java
@@ -204,7 +204,8 @@ public class Rocket extends RocketComponent {
 	 * @Return a reference to the topmost stage
 	 */
 	public AxialStage getBottomCoreStage(){
-		return (AxialStage) getChild(0);
+		// get last stage that's a direct child of the rocket.
+		return (AxialStage) children.get( children.size()-1 );
 	}
 	
 	private int getNewStageNumber() {
@@ -431,10 +432,7 @@ public class Rocket extends RocketComponent {
 				freezeList.add(cce);
 				return;
 			}
-			
-			if( -1 == cce.getType()){
-				log.debug(">>fireComponentChangeEvent()>> . . .");
-			}
+		
 			// Notify all components first
 			Iterator<RocketComponent> iterator = this.iterator(true);
 			while (iterator.hasNext()) {
diff --git a/core/test/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FinSetTest.java b/core/test/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FinSetTest.java
index b568dc32e..7c083bbd3 100644
--- a/core/test/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FinSetTest.java
+++ b/core/test/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FinSetTest.java
@@ -257,12 +257,13 @@ public class FinSetTest extends BaseTestCase {
 		rocket.addChild(stage);
 		stage.addChild(body);
 		body.addChild(fin);
+		rocket.enableEvents();
 		
 		Listener l1 = new Listener("l1");
 		rocket.addComponentChangeListener(l1);
 		
 		fin.setName("Custom name");
-		assertTrue(l1.changed);
+		assertEquals("FinSet listener has not been notified: ", l1.changed, true);
 		assertEquals(ComponentChangeEvent.NONFUNCTIONAL_CHANGE, l1.changetype);
 		
 		
@@ -275,7 +276,7 @@ public class FinSetTest extends BaseTestCase {
 		FinSet fincopy = (FinSet) rocketcopy.getChild(0).getChild(0).getChild(0);
 		FreeformFinSet.convertFinSet(fincopy);
 		
-		assertTrue(l2.changed);
+		assertTrue("FinSet listener is changed", l2.changed);
 		assertEquals(ComponentChangeEvent.TREE_CHANGE,
 				l2.changetype & ComponentChangeEvent.TREE_CHANGE);