diff --git a/crystal.cpp b/crystal.cpp
index 07a7f1fe..09d63526 100644
--- a/crystal.cpp
+++ b/crystal.cpp
@@ -375,6 +375,7 @@ int readArgs() {
     geometry = gCrystal; variation = eVariation::pure;
     shift(); int N = argi();
     ginf[gCrystal].sides = N;
+    ginf[gCrystal].vertex = 4;
     if(N < MAX_EDGE)
       ginf[gCrystal].distlimit = distlimit_table[N];
     add_bitruncation = false;
@@ -383,6 +384,8 @@ int readArgs() {
     stop_game();
     geometry = gCrystal; variation = eVariation::bitruncated;
     ginf[gCrystal].sides = 8;
+    ginf[gCrystal].vertex = 3;
+    ginf[gCrystal].distlimit = {7, 5};
     add_bitruncation = true;
     }
   else if(argis("-cview")) {
diff --git a/hyper.h b/hyper.h
index a50820f0..76846734 100644
--- a/hyper.h
+++ b/hyper.h
@@ -4136,6 +4136,7 @@ namespace arcm {
   }
 
 namespace crystal {
+  extern bool add_bitruncation;
   color_t colorize(cell *c);
   int distance(cell *c1, cell *c2);
   hrmap *new_map();
diff --git a/system.cpp b/system.cpp
index 8546a62a..0882ce4b 100644
--- a/system.cpp
+++ b/system.cpp
@@ -1158,6 +1158,11 @@ void set_variation(eVariation target) {
   if(variation != target) {
     stop_game();
     if(euclid6 || binarytiling) geometry = gNormal;
+    if(target == eVariation::bitruncated && geometry == gCrystal && ginf[gCrystal].sides == 8 && !crystal::add_bitruncation) {
+      crystal::add_bitruncation = true;
+      ginf[gCrystal].vertex = 3;
+      target = eVariation::pure;
+      }
     variation = target;
     need_reset_geometry = true;
     }