diff --git a/src/lib/common/xundump.c b/src/lib/common/xundump.c
index e18f4103..d04f671c 100644
--- a/src/lib/common/xundump.c
+++ b/src/lib/common/xundump.c
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ enum enum_value {
     VAL_NOTUSED,
     VAL_STRING,
     VAL_SYMBOL,
+    VAL_SYMBOL_SET,
     VAL_DOUBLE
 };
 
@@ -134,6 +135,26 @@ xuflds(FILE *fp, struct value values[])
 	    values[i].v_type = VAL_STRING;
 	    values[i].v_field.v_string = strdup(buf);
 	    break;
+	case '(':
+	    ch = getc(fp);
+	    ch = getc(fp);
+	    if (ch == EOF)
+		return gripe("Unexpected end of file while reading a symbol set for field %d", i + 1);
+	    if (ch == ')') {
+		values[i].v_field.v_double = 0.0;
+		values[i].v_type = VAL_DOUBLE;
+	        sep = getc(fp);
+		if (sep == EOF)
+		    return gripe("Unexpected end of file while reading a symbol set for field %d", i + 1);
+		break;
+	    }
+	    ungetc(ch, fp);
+	    ungetc('(', fp);
+	    if (fscanf(fp, "(%1023[^)\n])%c", buf, &sep) != 2)
+		return gripe("Malformed symbol set in field %d", i + 1);
+	    values[i].v_type = VAL_SYMBOL_SET;
+	    values[i].v_field.v_string = strdup(buf);
+	    break;
 	default:
 	    if (fscanf(fp, "%1023[^ \n]%c", buf, &sep) != 2) {
 		return gripe("Junk in field %d", i + 1);
@@ -163,15 +184,21 @@ xuflds(FILE *fp, struct value values[])
 }
 
 static int
-xunsymbol(struct castr *ca, char *buf)
+xunsymbol(struct castr *ca, char *buf, int symbol_set)
 {
     struct symbol *symbol = (struct symbol *)empfile[ca->ca_table].cache;
     int i;
     int value = 0;
     char *token;
 
-    if (ca->ca_flags & NSC_BITS)
-	token = strtok( buf, "|");
+    if (symbol_set && !(ca->ca_flags & NSC_BITS))
+	return gripe("Symbol Set (%s) was found but the field does not have "
+	    "NSC_BITS set for field %s", buf, ca->ca_name);
+    if (!symbol_set && (ca->ca_flags & NSC_BITS))
+	return gripe("Symbol (%s) was found but the field was expecting an "
+	    "Symbol Set for field %s", buf, ca->ca_name);
+    if (symbol_set)
+	token = strtok( buf, " ");
     else
 	token = buf;
 
@@ -188,7 +215,7 @@ xunsymbol(struct castr *ca, char *buf)
 	else
 	    return gripe("Symbol %s was not found for field %s", token,
 		ca->ca_name);
-	token = strtok(NULL, "|");
+	token = strtok(NULL, " ");
     }
     return(value);
 }
@@ -238,13 +265,15 @@ xuloadrow(int type, int row, struct value values[])
 	     * factor out NSC_CONST comparsion
 	     */
 	    switch (values[j].v_type) {
+	    case VAL_SYMBOL_SET:
 	    case VAL_SYMBOL:
 		if (ca[i].ca_table == EF_BAD)
 		    return(gripe("Found symbol string %s, but column %s "
 			"is not symbol or symbol sets",
 			values[j].v_field.v_string, ca[i].ca_name));
 		values[j].v_field.v_double =
-		    (double)xunsymbol(&ca[i], values[j].v_field.v_string);
+		    (double)xunsymbol(&ca[i], values[j].v_field.v_string,
+		    values[j].v_type == VAL_SYMBOL_SET ? 1 : 0);
 		free(values[i].v_field.v_string);
 		if (values[j].v_field.v_double < 0.0)
 		    return -1;
@@ -437,7 +466,7 @@ xundump(FILE *fp, char *file, int expected_table)
 	return gripe("Missing space after table name in header %s",
 	    name);
     name[strlen(name) - 1] = '\0';
-    
+
     type = ef_byname(name);
     if (type < 0)
 	return gripe("Table not found %s", name);