diff --git a/src/params/SymbolMode.xml b/src/params/SymbolMode.xml
index bec3e18ed..e88da1026 100644
--- a/src/params/SymbolMode.xml
+++ b/src/params/SymbolMode.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <magics>
-<class directory="visualisers" prefix="symbol" xmltag="table" name="SymbolMode">
+<class directory="visualisers" prefix="symbol" xmltag="table" name="SymbolMode" python="msymb">
 <!--
 (C) Copyright 1996-2016 ECMWF.
 
diff --git a/src/params/SymbolPlotting.xml b/src/params/SymbolPlotting.xml
index 7d8b65377..e239f2047 100644
--- a/src/params/SymbolPlotting.xml
+++ b/src/params/SymbolPlotting.xml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <magics>
-<class xmltag="symbol" name="SymbolPlotting" metview="MSYMB" directory="visualisers" prefix="symbol" action="psymb">
+<class xmltag="symbol" name="SymbolPlotting" metview="MSYMB" directory="visualisers" prefix="symbol" action="psymb" python="msymb" >
 <!--
 (C) Copyright 1996-2016 ECMWF.