diff --git a/crlcore/src/ccore/ispd05/Ispd05Bookshelf.cpp b/crlcore/src/ccore/ispd05/Ispd05Bookshelf.cpp
index 82f039b9..86eade10 100644
--- a/crlcore/src/ccore/ispd05/Ispd05Bookshelf.cpp
+++ b/crlcore/src/ccore/ispd05/Ispd05Bookshelf.cpp
@@ -188,8 +188,11 @@ namespace CRL {
 
       Instance* instance = Instance::create( cell, node->getName(), master );
       instance->setTransformation( toTransformation(node) );
-      if (node->isFixed())
+      if (node->isFixed() || node->isTerminal())
         instance->setPlacementStatus( Instance::PlacementStatus::FIXED );
+      // TODO: the alliance framework is not persisted, hence we cannot modify the pitch and slice height here; this is worked around in Etesian
+      else
+        af->getCellGauge()->setPitch(master->getAbutmentBox().getHeight());
 
       for ( auto ipin : node->getPins() ) {
         Name netName   = ipin.second->getNet()->getName();
diff --git a/etesian/src/EtesianEngine.cpp b/etesian/src/EtesianEngine.cpp
index bb8b63a1..17b112b3 100644
--- a/etesian/src/EtesianEngine.cpp
+++ b/etesian/src/EtesianEngine.cpp
@@ -311,6 +311,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
                          ) << endl;
       }
     }
+    _sliceHeight = getCellGauge()->getSliceHeight();
   }
 
 
@@ -478,18 +479,6 @@ namespace Etesian {
 
     size_t  instancesNb = 0;
     for ( Occurrence occurrence : getCell()->getLeafInstanceOccurrences(getBlockInstance()) ) {
-      Instance* instance     = static_cast<Instance*>(occurrence.getEntity());
-      Cell*     masterCell   = instance->getMasterCell();
-
-      if (   (instance->getPlacementStatus() != Instance::PlacementStatus::PLACED)
-         and (instance->getPlacementStatus() != Instance::PlacementStatus::FIXED )
-         and (masterCell->getAbutmentBox().getHeight() != getSliceHeight()) ) {
-        throw Error( "EtesianEngine::toColoquinte(): Cannot manage unplaced block, instance \"%s\" of \"%s\"."
-                   , getString(instance  ->getName()).c_str()
-                   , getString(masterCell->getName()).c_str()
-                   );
-      }
-
       ++instancesNb;
     }
 
@@ -674,6 +663,42 @@ namespace Etesian {
     _placementUB = _placementLB;
   }
 
+  void  EtesianEngine::adjustSliceHeight ()
+  {
+    /*
+     * Modify the slice height if it doesn't match the one given by the Alliance Framework.
+     * Useful for Bookshelf benchmarks
+     */
+
+    bool isSliceHeightSet = false;
+    for ( Occurrence occurrence : getCell()->getLeafInstanceOccurrences(getBlockInstance()) )
+    {
+      Instance* instance     = static_cast<Instance*>(occurrence.getEntity());
+      Cell* masterCell = instance->getMasterCell();
+
+      if (   (instance->getPlacementStatus() != Instance::PlacementStatus::PLACED)
+         and (instance->getPlacementStatus() != Instance::PlacementStatus::FIXED ))
+      {
+        DbU::Unit cellHeight = masterCell->getAbutmentBox().getHeight();
+        bool sliceHeightChange = cellHeight != getSliceHeight();
+        if (isSliceHeightSet)
+        {
+          if (sliceHeightChange) throw Error( "EtesianEngine::toColoquinte(): Cannot manage unplaced block, instance \"%s\" of \"%s\": slice height was set to %d but cell height is %d."
+                 , getString(instance  ->getName()).c_str()
+                 , getString(masterCell->getName()).c_str()
+                 , getSliceHeight()
+                 , cellHeight
+                 );
+        }
+        else
+        {
+          if (sliceHeightChange) cerr << Warning("Adjusting slice height from %d to %d fit a placeable cell.", getSliceHeight(), cellHeight) << endl;
+          _sliceHeight = cellHeight;
+        }
+        isSliceHeightSet = true;
+      }
+    }
+  }
 
   void  EtesianEngine::preplace ()
   {
@@ -919,6 +944,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
     getBlockCell()->uniquify();
 
     getConfiguration()->print( getCell() );
+    adjustSliceHeight();
     if (getBlockCell()->getAbutmentBox().isEmpty()) setDefaultAb();
 
     findYSpin();
diff --git a/etesian/src/etesian/EtesianEngine.h b/etesian/src/etesian/EtesianEngine.h
index f6d2b4f3..78fc9ebe 100644
--- a/etesian/src/etesian/EtesianEngine.h
+++ b/etesian/src/etesian/EtesianEngine.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
       inline  Instance*              getBlockInstance   () const;
       inline  void                   setBlock           ( Instance* );
               void                   setDefaultAb       ();
+              void                   adjustSliceHeight  ();
               void                   resetPlacement     ();
               void                   toColoquinte       ();
               void                   preplace           ();
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
              FeedCells                                _feedCells;
              BloatCells                               _bloatCells;
              size_t                                   _yspinSlice0;
+             DbU::Unit                                _sliceHeight;
 
     protected:
     // Constructors & Destructors.
@@ -140,7 +142,7 @@ namespace Etesian {
   inline  CellGauge*             EtesianEngine::getCellGauge       () const { return getConfiguration()->getCellGauge(); }
   inline  DbU::Unit              EtesianEngine::getHorizontalPitch () const { return getGauge()->getHorizontalPitch(); }
   inline  DbU::Unit              EtesianEngine::getVerticalPitch   () const { return getGauge()->getVerticalPitch(); }
-  inline  DbU::Unit              EtesianEngine::getSliceHeight     () const { return getCellGauge()->getSliceHeight(); }
+  inline  DbU::Unit              EtesianEngine::getSliceHeight     () const { return _sliceHeight; }
   inline  Effort                 EtesianEngine::getPlaceEffort     () const { return getConfiguration()->getPlaceEffort(); }
   inline  GraphicUpdate          EtesianEngine::getUpdateConf      () const { return getConfiguration()->getUpdateConf(); }
   inline  Density                EtesianEngine::getSpreadingConf   () const { return getConfiguration()->getSpreadingConf(); }
diff --git a/unicorn/src/UnicornGui.cpp b/unicorn/src/UnicornGui.cpp
index a7f19462..9b44ecd1 100644
--- a/unicorn/src/UnicornGui.cpp
+++ b/unicorn/src/UnicornGui.cpp
@@ -100,7 +100,9 @@ namespace Unicorn {
     _importCell.addImporter<Cell*>   ( "JSON (experimental)"         , std::bind( &Cell::fromJson     , placeholders::_1 ) );
     _importCell.addImporter<Cell*>   ( "BLIF (Yosys/ABC)"            , std::bind( &Blif::load         , placeholders::_1, true ) );
     _importCell.addImporter<Cell*>   ( "ACM/SIGDA (aka MCNC, .bench)", std::bind( &AcmSigda::load     , placeholders::_1 ) );
+    /* Disabled because this is never the one you want
     _importCell.addImporter<Cell*>   ( "ISPD'04 (Bookshelf)"         , std::bind( &Ispd04::load       , placeholders::_1 ) );
+    */
     _importCell.addImporter<Cell*>   ( "ISPD'05 (Bookshelf)"         , std::bind( &Ispd05::load       , placeholders::_1 ) );
     _importCell.addImporter<Cell*>   ( "ICCAD'04 (LEF/DEF)"          , std::bind( &Iccad04Lefdef::load, placeholders::_1, 0 ) );
     _importCell.addImporter<Cell*>   ( "Alliance compliant DEF"      , std::bind( &DefImport::load    , placeholders::_1, DefImport::FitAbOnCells) );