diff --git a/properties.py b/properties.py
index 4ec4c7954064eb32e3a3131212ce0165fb9e947d..2ac823303e0426e727455f43655f0fc5a414260e 100644
--- a/properties.py
+++ b/properties.py
@@ -43,6 +43,6 @@ data_type_conversion_args['datetime'] = ['datetime_format']
 
 # Misc ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 tol = 1E-10
-dummy_level = 'SECTION__'
+dummy_level = '_SECTION_'
 # Length of reports in initial read
 MAX_FULL_REPORT_WIDTH = 100000