diff --git a/Code/Mantid/instrument/GPSANS_Parameters.xml b/Code/Mantid/instrument/GPSANS_Parameters.xml
index 99868e36d361b0739008abe2aebc449daefe4fe7..7e94895e0fa8181e87f0b0811a096bc350146ece 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/instrument/GPSANS_Parameters.xml
+++ b/Code/Mantid/instrument/GPSANS_Parameters.xml
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@
   <value val="5.1500000"/>
 </parameter>
 
+<parameter name="detector-distance-offset">
+  <value val="711.0"/>
+</parameter>
+
 <!-- Aperture distances for 8 guides to 0 guides -->
 <parameter name="aperture-distances" type="string">
   <value val="1919.1, 3329.3, 5323.7, 7377.5, 9399.0, 11433.8, 13454.4, 15473.2, 17495.2" />
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/instrument/HIRESSANS_Parameters.xml b/Code/Mantid/instrument/HIRESSANS_Parameters.xml
index 2fb3bfe63ffb91898ce5cea3c25ed2f755212ac1..270bef908e9f22f80b7def972b1adf497f9cd3e1 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/instrument/HIRESSANS_Parameters.xml
+++ b/Code/Mantid/instrument/HIRESSANS_Parameters.xml
@@ -35,6 +35,15 @@
   <value val="4.3000000"/>
 </parameter>
 
+<parameter name="detector-distance-offset">
+  <value val="711.0"/>
+</parameter>
+
+<!-- Aperture distances for 8 guides to 0 guides -->
+<parameter name="aperture-distances" type="string">
+  <value val="1919.1, 3329.3, 5323.7, 7377.5, 9399.0, 11433.8, 13454.4, 15473.2, 17495.2" />
+</parameter>
+
 </component-link>
 
 </parameter-file>
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/scripts/reduction/instruments/sans/utest_command_interface.py b/Code/Mantid/scripts/reduction/instruments/sans/utest_command_interface.py
index 791081136f10c72323bbe2bf76b8662a3a28399a..fe9beccd8332e59ebfe7bebc69ab0e731dfbefcc 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/scripts/reduction/instruments/sans/utest_command_interface.py
+++ b/Code/Mantid/scripts/reduction/instruments/sans/utest_command_interface.py
@@ -114,6 +114,36 @@ class TestCommands(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(ReductionSingleton().instrument, None)
         self.assertEqual(ReductionSingleton()._data_path, '.')
         self.assertEqual(ReductionSingleton()._background_subtracter, None)
+        
+        if sys.version_info[0]==2 and sys.version_info[1]<7:
+            def _assertAlmostEqual(first, second, places=None, msg=None, delta=None):
+                if first == second:
+                    # shortcut
+                    return
+                if delta is not None and places is not None:
+                    raise TypeError("specify delta or places not both")
+        
+                if delta is not None:
+                    if abs(first - second) <= delta:
+                        return
+        
+                    standardMsg = '%s != %s within %s delta' % (safe_repr(first),
+                                                                safe_repr(second),
+                                                                safe_repr(delta))
+                else:
+                    if places is None:
+                        places = 7
+        
+                    if round(abs(second-first), places) == 0:
+                        return
+        
+                    standardMsg = '%s != %s within %r places' % (safe_repr(first),
+                                                                  safe_repr(second),
+                                                                  places)
+                msg = self._formatMessage(msg, standardMsg)
+                raise self.failureException(msg)
+                    
+            self.assertAlmostEqual = _assertAlmostEqual
                 
     def test_data_path(self):
         self.assertEqual(ReductionSingleton()._data_path, '.')