diff --git a/include/base/OpenMCProblemBase.h b/include/base/OpenMCProblemBase.h
index 715159faf..da5d00a5c 100644
--- a/include/base/OpenMCProblemBase.h
+++ b/include/base/OpenMCProblemBase.h
@@ -376,10 +376,10 @@ class OpenMCProblemBase : public CardinalProblem, public PostprocessorInterface
   const bool & _verbose;
 
   /// Power by which to normalize the OpenMC results, for k-eigenvalue mode
-  const Real * _power;
+  const Real & _power;
 
   /// Source strength by which to normalize the OpenMC results, for fixed source mode
-  const Real * _source_strength;
+  const Real & _source_strength;
 
   /**
    * Whether to take the starting fission source from iteration \f$n\f$ as the
diff --git a/src/base/OpenMCCellAverageProblem.C b/src/base/OpenMCCellAverageProblem.C
index 73124a599..30fe9fc51 100644
--- a/src/base/OpenMCCellAverageProblem.C
+++ b/src/base/OpenMCCellAverageProblem.C
@@ -2330,9 +2330,9 @@ OpenMCCellAverageProblem::tallyMultiplier(unsigned int global_score) const
     // normalize the tally
     Real source = _local_mean_tally[global_score];
     if (_run_mode == openmc::RunMode::EIGENVALUE)
-      source *= *_power / EV_TO_JOULE / _local_mean_tally[_source_rate_index];
+      source *= _power / EV_TO_JOULE / _local_mean_tally[_source_rate_index];
     else
-      source *= *_source_strength;
+      source *= _source_strength;
 
     // Reaction rate scores have units of reactions/src (OpenMC) or reactions/s (Cardinal).
     if (isReactionRateScore(_all_tally_scores[global_score]))
@@ -2347,9 +2347,9 @@ OpenMCCellAverageProblem::tallyMultiplier(unsigned int global_score) const
   {
     // Heating tallies have units of eV / source particle
     if (_run_mode == openmc::RunMode::EIGENVALUE)
-      return *_power;
+      return _power;
     else
-      return *_source_strength * EV_TO_JOULE * _local_mean_tally[global_score];
+      return _source_strength * EV_TO_JOULE * _local_mean_tally[global_score];
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/base/OpenMCProblemBase.C b/src/base/OpenMCProblemBase.C
index e3eba5d11..a9294ad37 100644
--- a/src/base/OpenMCProblemBase.C
+++ b/src/base/OpenMCProblemBase.C
@@ -70,6 +70,9 @@ OpenMCProblemBase::validParams()
       false,
       "Whether to skip writing any statepoint files from OpenMC; this is a performance "
       "optimization for scenarios where you may not want the statepoint files anyways");
+
+  params.declareControllable("power");
+  params.declareControllable("source_strength");
   return params;
 }
 
@@ -77,6 +80,12 @@ OpenMCProblemBase::OpenMCProblemBase(const InputParameters & params)
   : CardinalProblem(params),
     PostprocessorInterface(this),
     _verbose(getParam<bool>("verbose")),
+    _power(openmc::settings::run_mode == openmc::RunMode::EIGENVALUE
+               ? getPostprocessorValue("power")
+               : 0),
+    _source_strength(openmc::settings::run_mode == openmc::RunMode::FIXED_SOURCE
+                         ? getPostprocessorValue("source_strength")
+                         : 0),
     _reuse_source(getParam<bool>("reuse_source")),
     _specified_scaling(params.isParamSetByUser("scaling")),
     _scaling(getParam<Real>("scaling")),
@@ -115,7 +124,6 @@ OpenMCProblemBase::OpenMCProblemBase(const InputParameters & params)
       if (tally_actions.size() > 0)
       {
         checkRequiredParam(params, "power", "running in k-eigenvalue mode");
-        _power = &getPostprocessorValue("power");
       }
       else
         checkUnusedParam(params, "power", "no tallies have been added");
@@ -128,7 +136,6 @@ OpenMCProblemBase::OpenMCProblemBase(const InputParameters & params)
       if (tally_actions.size() > 0)
       {
         checkRequiredParam(params, "source_strength", "running in fixed source mode");
-        _source_strength = &getPostprocessorValue("source_strength");
       }
       else
         checkUnusedParam(params, "source_strength", "no tallies have been added");