diff --git a/src/physics/btKartRaycast.cpp b/src/physics/btKartRaycast.cpp
index 13107ddab..04f122a5d 100644
--- a/src/physics/btKartRaycast.cpp
+++ b/src/physics/btKartRaycast.cpp
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ void* btKartRaycaster::castRay(const btVector3& from, const btVector3& to,
                 result.m_hitNormalInWorld = 
                     tm.getInterpolatedNormal(rayCallback.getTriangleIndex(), 
                                              result.m_hitPointInWorld);
+#define DEBUG_NORMALS
 #ifdef DEBUG_NORMALS
                 printf("old %f %f %f new %f %f %f\n",
                     n.getX(), n.getY(), n.getZ(),
diff --git a/src/physics/physical_object.cpp b/src/physics/physical_object.cpp
index b4b5d265e..a88620555 100644
--- a/src/physics/physical_object.cpp
+++ b/src/physics/physical_object.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ PhysicalObject::PhysicalObject(const XMLNode &xml_node)
     else fprintf(stderr, "Unknown shape type : %s\n", shape.c_str());
     
     m_init_pos.setIdentity();
+    Vec3 hpr(m_init_hpr);
+    hpr.degreeToRad();
+    btQuaternion q;
+    q.setEuler(hpr.getX(), hpr.getY(), hpr.getZ());
+    m_init_pos.setRotation(q);
     Vec3 init_xyz(m_init_xyz);
     m_init_pos.setOrigin(init_xyz);