diff --git a/music21/musicxml/xmlToM21.py b/music21/musicxml/xmlToM21.py
index 935806739..bc2d7098d 100644
--- a/music21/musicxml/xmlToM21.py
+++ b/music21/musicxml/xmlToM21.py
@@ -3160,8 +3160,8 @@ def xmlToPitch(self, mxNote, inputM21=None):
             if mxPitch is None:  # whoops!!!!
                 return p
 
-        seta(p, mxPitch, 'step')
-        seta(p, mxPitch, 'octave', transform=int)
+        seta(p, mxPitch, 'step', 'step')
+        seta(p, mxPitch, 'octave', 'octave', transform=int)
         mxAlter = mxPitch.find('alter')
         accAlter = None
         if alterText := strippedText(mxAlter):