diff --git a/contrib/findSigns.py b/contrib/findSigns.py
index f64bbc2..cab1617 100644
--- a/contrib/findSigns.py
+++ b/contrib/findSigns.py
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ for dirpath, dirnames, filenames in os.walk(worlddir):
         if matcher.match(f):
             print f
             full = os.path.join(dirpath, f)
-            r = nbt.load_region(full)
+            r = nbt.load_region(full,north_direction)
             chunks = r.get_chunks()
             for x,y in chunks:
                 chunk = r.load_chunk(x,y).read_all()                
diff --git a/overviewer_core/nbt.py b/overviewer_core/nbt.py
index 483e7f2..895eca9 100644
--- a/overviewer_core/nbt.py
+++ b/overviewer_core/nbt.py
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ class MCRFileReader(object):
     chunks (as instances of NBTFileReader), getting chunk timestamps,
     and for listing chunks contained in the file."""
     
-    def __init__(self, filename, north_direction='lower-left'):
+    def __init__(self, filename, north_direction):
         self._file = None
         self._filename = filename
         self.north_direction = north_direction