diff --git a/src/beams.f90 b/src/beams.f90
index f91a212..3f29812 100644
--- a/src/beams.f90
+++ b/src/beams.f90
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ contains
   end subroutine read_beam1
 
 
-  subroutine read_beam2(params, beamid, err)
+  subroutine read_beam2(params, beamid, err, set_pol)
     ! Reads the wave launcher parameters for the general case
     ! where w(z, α, β) and 1/R(z, α, β) depend on the launcher angles α, β.
     !
@@ -231,14 +231,16 @@ contains
     use logger,      only : log_error
 
     ! subroutine arguments
-    type(antenna_parameters), intent(inout) :: params
-    integer, intent(in)            :: beamid
-    integer, intent(out), optional :: err
+    type(antenna_parameters), intent(inout)         :: params      ! beam parameters
+    integer,                  intent(in)            :: beamid      ! which beam to load
+    integer,                  intent(out), optional :: err
+    logical,                  intent(in),  optional :: set_pol     ! whether to set params%iox
 
     ! local variables
     character(len=20) :: beamname
+    logical :: set_pol_
     integer :: u
-    integer :: i, ier, nisteer, fdeg, jumprow, nbeam, nalpha, nbeta
+    integer :: i, ier, nisteer, fdeg, jumprow, nbeam, nalpha, nbeta, iox
     integer :: iopt, incheck, nxcoord, nycoord, nxest, nyest, lwrk, kwrk
     integer :: nxwaist1, nywaist1, nxwaist2, nywaist2, nxrci1, nyrci1, nxrci2
     integer :: nyrci2, nxphi1, nyphi1, nxphi2, nyphi2, nxx0, nyx0, nxy0, nyy0
@@ -259,6 +261,9 @@ contains
     integer, parameter :: kspl=1
     real(wp_), parameter :: sspl=0.01_wp_
 
+    set_pol_ = .true.
+    if (present(set_pol)) set_pol_ = set_pol
+
     open(newunit=u, file=params%filenm, status='old', action='read', iostat=err)
     if (err /= 0) then
       call log_error('opening beams file ('//trim(params%filenm)//') failed!', &
@@ -274,13 +279,14 @@ contains
         jumprow=0
 !  c====================================================================================
         do i=1,beamid-1
-          read(u,*) beamname, params%iox, params%fghz, nalpha, nbeta
+          read(u,*) beamname, iox, params%fghz, nalpha, nbeta
           jumprow = jumprow+nalpha*nbeta
         end do
 !  c====================================================================================
 !       
 !     beam of interest
-        read(u,*) beamname, params%iox, params%fghz, nalpha, nbeta
+        read(u,*) beamname, iox, params%fghz, nalpha, nbeta
+        if (set_pol_) params%iox = iox
 !       
 !  c====================================================================================
 !     unused beams' data grids
diff --git a/src/main.f90 b/src/main.f90
index aa7029c..96bfc25 100644
--- a/src/main.f90
+++ b/src/main.f90
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ contains
         ! 2 degrees of freedom
         ! w(z, α, β), 1/R(z, α, β)
         ! FIXME: 1st beam is always selected, iox read from table
-        call read_beam2(params, beamid=1, err=err)
+        call read_beam2(params, beamid=1, err=err, set_pol=.false.)
       case (BEAM_1D)
         ! 1 degree of freedom
         ! w(z, α), 1/R(z, α)