diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/DocumentConfig.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/DocumentConfig.java
index 129f17bfe..5740faf50 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/DocumentConfig.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/DocumentConfig.java
@@ -406,6 +406,11 @@ class DocumentConfig {
 		setters.put("Stage:separationdelay", new DoubleSetter(
 				Reflection.findMethod(Stage.class, "getStageSeparationConfiguration"),
 				Reflection.findMethod(StageSeparationConfiguration.class, "setSeparationDelay", double.class)));
+		setters.put("Stage:outside", new BooleanSetter(Reflection.findMethod(Stage.class, "setOutside", boolean.class)));
+		setters.put("Stage:relativeto", new IntSetter(Reflection.findMethod(Stage.class, "setRelativeToStage", int.class)));
+		setters.put("Stage:instancecount", new IntSetter(Reflection.findMethod(Stage.class, "setCount", int.class)));
+		setters.put("Stage:radialoffset", new DoubleSetter(Reflection.findMethod(Stage.class, "setRadialPosition", double.class)));
+		setters.put("Stage:angleoffset", new DoubleSetter(Reflection.findMethod(Stage.class, "setAngularPosition", double.class)));
 		
 	}
 	
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/PositionSetter.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/PositionSetter.java
index ad29d1e35..f976fe38e 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/PositionSetter.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/importt/PositionSetter.java
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.InternalComponent;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.LaunchLug;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.RocketComponent;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.RocketComponent.Position;
+import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.Stage;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.TubeFinSet;
 
 class PositionSetter implements Setter {
@@ -44,6 +45,9 @@ class PositionSetter implements Setter {
 		} else if (c instanceof TubeFinSet) {
 			((TubeFinSet) c).setRelativePosition(type);
 			c.setPositionValue(pos);
+		} else if (c instanceof Stage) {
+			((Stage) c).setRelativePositionMethod(type);
+			((Stage) c).setPositionValue(pos);
 		} else {
 			warnings.add(Warning.FILE_INVALID_PARAMETER);
 		}
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/savers/StageSaver.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/savers/StageSaver.java
index 9e485a2cf..c237a7d3c 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/savers/StageSaver.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/file/openrocket/savers/StageSaver.java
@@ -62,30 +62,33 @@ public class StageSaver extends ComponentAssemblySaver {
 	
 	private Collection<? extends String> addStageReplicationParams(final Stage currentStage) {
 		List<String> elementsToReturn = new ArrayList<String>();
+		final String relTo_tag = "relativeto";
+		final String outside_tag = "outside";
+		final String instCt_tag = "instancecount";
+		final String radoffs_tag = "radialoffset";
+		final String startangle_tag = "angleoffset";
+		
 		
 		if (null != currentStage) {
-			
-			boolean outsideFlag = currentStage.getOutside();
-			elementsToReturn.add("<outside=\"" + outsideFlag + "\">");
-			int instanceCount = currentStage.getInstanceCount();
-			elementsToReturn.add("<instanceCount=\"" + instanceCount + "\">");
-			double radialOffset = currentStage.getRadialPosition();
-			elementsToReturn.add("<radialOffset=\"" + radialOffset + "\">");
-			double angularOffset = currentStage.getAngularPosition();
-			elementsToReturn.add("<angleOffset=\"" + angularOffset + "\">");
-			
 			// Save position unless "AFTER"
 			if (currentStage.getRelativePosition() != RocketComponent.Position.AFTER) {
-				// The type names are currently equivalent to the enum names except for case.
-				String type = currentStage.getRelativePositionMethod().name().toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH);
-				double axialOffset = currentStage.getAxialPosition();
-				elementsToReturn.add("<position type=\"" + type + "\">" + axialOffset + "</position>");
+				// position type and offset are saved in superclass
+				//				String type = currentStage.getRelativePositionMethod().name().toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH);
+				//				double axialOffset = currentStage.getAxialPosition();
+				//				elementsToReturn.add("<position type=\"" + type + "\">" + axialOffset + "</position>");
 				int relativeTo = currentStage.getRelativeToStage();
-				elementsToReturn.add("<relativeTo=\"" + relativeTo + "\">");
+				elementsToReturn.add("<" + relTo_tag + ">" + relativeTo + "</" + relTo_tag + ">");
 			}
 			
-			// do not save
-			double angularSeparation = Double.NaN; // doesn't need to be saved b/c it's derived from instanceCount 
+			boolean outsideFlag = currentStage.getOutside();
+			elementsToReturn.add("<" + outside_tag + ">" + outsideFlag + "</" + outside_tag + ">");
+			int instanceCount = currentStage.getInstanceCount();
+			elementsToReturn.add("<" + instCt_tag + ">" + instanceCount + "</" + instCt_tag + ">");
+			double radialOffset = currentStage.getRadialPosition();
+			elementsToReturn.add("<" + radoffs_tag + ">" + radialOffset + "</" + radoffs_tag + ">");
+			double angularOffset = currentStage.getAngularPosition();
+			elementsToReturn.add("<" + startangle_tag + ">" + angularOffset + "</" + startangle_tag + ">");
+			
 		}
 		
 		return elementsToReturn;
diff --git a/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/adaptors/StageSelectModel.java b/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/adaptors/StageSelectModel.java
index 70d795f09..aa1694ebf 100644
--- a/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/adaptors/StageSelectModel.java
+++ b/swing/src/net/sf/openrocket/gui/adaptors/StageSelectModel.java
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ public class StageSelectModel extends AbstractListModel<Stage> implements ComboB
 	protected Stage sourceStage = null;
 	protected ArrayList<Stage> displayValues = new ArrayList<Stage>();
 	protected Stage selectedStage = null;
-	protected int selectedStageIndex=-1; // index of stage in rocket, as returned by stage.getStageNumber();
 
 	//@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	public StageSelectModel( final Stage _stage, String nullText) {
@@ -91,20 +90,13 @@ public class StageSelectModel extends AbstractListModel<Stage> implements ComboB
 		
 		if( newItem instanceof Stage ){
 			Stage nextStage = (Stage) newItem;
-			int nextStageIndex = nextStage.getStageNumber();
-
+	
 			if (nextStage.equals(this.selectedStage)){
 				return; // i.e. no change
 			}
-
-			this.selectedStage = nextStage;
-			this.selectedStageIndex = nextStageIndex;
-			this.sourceStage.setRelativeToStage(nextStageIndex);
 			
-			// DEVEL
-			int nextDisplayIndex = this.displayValues.indexOf(newItem);
-			log.error("DEVEL success. set stage number to: "+nextDisplayIndex+" @"+nextStageIndex);
-			log.error("DEVEL success. set stage number to: "+nextStage.getName()+" ="+nextStage.toString()); 
+			this.selectedStage = nextStage;
+			this.sourceStage.setRelativeToStage(nextStage.getStageNumber());		
 			return;
 		}
 		
@@ -134,7 +126,7 @@ public class StageSelectModel extends AbstractListModel<Stage> implements ComboB
 	
 	@Override
 	public String toString() {
-		return "StageSelectModel["+this.selectedStage.getName()+" @"+this.selectedStageIndex+"]";
+		return "StageSelectModel["+this.selectedStage.getName()+" ("+this.selectedStage.getStageNumber()+")]";
 	}