diff --git a/pyzebra/app/panel_ccl_prepare.py b/pyzebra/app/panel_ccl_prepare.py
index c3b88c6..40be062 100644
--- a/pyzebra/app/panel_ccl_prepare.py
+++ b/pyzebra/app/panel_ccl_prepare.py
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@ def create():
     def _update_ang_lims(ang_lims):
         sttgamma_ti.value = " ".join(ang_lims["gamma"][:2])
         omega_ti.value = " ".join(ang_lims["omega"][:2])
-        if len(ang_lims) == 3:  # NB geom
+        if ang_lims["geom"] == "nb":
             chinu_ti.value = " ".join(ang_lims["nu"][:2])
             phi_ti.value = ""
-        else:  # len(ang_lims) == 4, BI geom
+        else:  # ang_lims["geom"] == "bi"
             chinu_ti.value = " ".join(ang_lims["chi"][:2])
             phi_ti.value = " ".join(ang_lims["phi"][:2])
 
diff --git a/pyzebra/sxtal_refgen.py b/pyzebra/sxtal_refgen.py
index f0660dc..4692eed 100644
--- a/pyzebra/sxtal_refgen.py
+++ b/pyzebra/sxtal_refgen.py
@@ -90,30 +90,34 @@ def get_zebra_default_cfl_file():
 
 def read_geom_file(fileobj):
     ang_lims = dict()
-    # locate angular limits in .geom text file
-    for line in fileobj:
-        if line.startswith("ANG_LIMITS"):
-            break
-
-    # read angular limits
     for line in fileobj:
         if "!" in line:  # remove comments that start with ! sign
             line, _ = line.split(sep="!", maxsplit=1)
 
-        if not line or line.isspace():
-            break
+        if line.startswith("GEOM"):
+            _, val = line.split(maxsplit=1)
+            if val.startswith("2"):
+                ang_lims["geom"] = "bi"
+            else:  # val.startswith("3")
+                ang_lims["geom"] = "nb"
 
-        ang, ang_min, ang_max, ang_offset = line.split()
-        ang_lims[ang.lower()] = [ang_min, ang_max, ang_offset]
+        elif line.startswith("ANG_LIMITS"):
+            # read angular limits
+            for line in fileobj:
+                if not line or line.isspace():
+                    break
+
+                ang, ang_min, ang_max, ang_offset = line.split()
+                ang_lims[ang.lower()] = [ang_min, ang_max, ang_offset]
 
     return ang_lims
 
 
 def export_geom_file(path, ang_lims, template=None):
-    if "chi" in ang_lims:  # BI geometry
+    if ang_lims["geom"] == "bi":
         template_file = get_zebraBI_default_geom_file()
         n_ang = 4
-    else:  # NB geometry
+    else:  # ang_lims["geom"] == "nb"
         template_file = get_zebraNB_default_geom_file()
         n_ang = 3