diff --git a/src/vai_lab/Core/vai_lab_core.py b/src/vai_lab/Core/vai_lab_core.py
index 3eb4ad19..ebe9ca5d 100644
--- a/src/vai_lab/Core/vai_lab_core.py
+++ b/src/vai_lab/Core/vai_lab_core.py
@@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ def load_config_file(self, filename: Union[str,List,Tuple]):
         self._xml_handler.load_XML(filedir)
         self._initialised = True
 
-    def _load_data(self, module = 'Initialiser') -> None:
+    def _load_data(self, specs, module = 'Initialiser') -> None:
         """Loads data from XML file into Data object"""
-        init_data_fn = self._xml_handler.data_to_load(module)
+        init_data_fn = self._xml_handler.data_to_load(modules=specs, module=module)
         if module not in self.data.keys():
             self.data[module] = Data()
         if isinstance(init_data_fn, str):
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ def _execute_module(self, specs):
         mod: ModuleInterface = import_module(globals(), specs["module_type"]).__call__()
         mod._debug = self._debug
         mod.set_avail_plugins(self._avail_plugins)
-        self._load_data(specs["name"])
+        self._load_data(specs, specs["name"])
         mod.set_data_in(self.data[specs["name"]])
         mod.set_options(specs)
         print("\t"*self.loop_level
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ def run(self):
             self._initialise_with_gui()
         print("Running pipeline...")
         if len(self._xml_handler.loaded_modules) > 0:
-            self._load_data()
+            self._load_data(self._xml_handler.loaded_modules)
         
         self._init_status(self._xml_handler.loaded_modules)
         self._execute(self._xml_handler.loaded_modules)
diff --git a/src/vai_lab/Data/xml_handler.py b/src/vai_lab/Data/xml_handler.py
index bbb1bb14..0e7e5697 100644
--- a/src/vai_lab/Data/xml_handler.py
+++ b/src/vai_lab/Data/xml_handler.py
@@ -200,9 +200,10 @@ def _load_options(self, element: ET.Element, parent: dict) -> None:
         """
         for child in element:
             if child.text is not None:
-                val = self._parse_text_to_list(child)
-                val = (val[0] if len(val) == 1 else val)
-                parent["options"][child.tag] = val
+                try:
+                    parent["options"][child.tag] = literal_eval(child.text.strip())
+                except Exception as exc:
+                    parent["options"][child.tag] = child.text.strip()
 
             for key in child.attrib:
                 if key == "val":
@@ -718,10 +719,15 @@ def append_pipeline_loop(self,
 
         xml_parent_element.append(new_loop)
 
-    def _get_data_structure(self, module) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        data_struct = self._find_dict_with_key_val_pair(
-            self.loaded_modules[module],
-            "class", "data")
+    def _get_data_structure(self, modules, module) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        try:
+            data_struct = self._find_dict_with_key_val_pair(
+                modules[module],
+                "class", "data")
+        except Exception as exc:
+            data_struct = self._find_dict_with_key_val_pair(
+                modules,
+                "class", "data")
 
         assert len(data_struct) < 2, \
             "Multiple data with same ID, please check XML"
@@ -734,8 +740,10 @@ def _get_data_structure(self, module) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         return out
 
     #@property
-    def data_to_load(self, module='Initialiser') -> Dict[str, str]:
-        return self._get_data_structure(module)["to_load"]
+    def data_to_load(self, modules=False, module='Initialiser') -> Dict[str, str]:
+        if not modules:
+            modules = self.loaded_modules
+        return self._get_data_structure(modules, module)["to_load"]
 
 
 # Use case examples: