Alpha channel from photoshop changes on import to FCP

I'm new to alpha channels. I have an image, to which I added an alpha channel in Photoshop, which now gives me a cut-out of the image. I imported the psd of this into FCP 5.0.4 (I was not allowed by FCP to import a tiff with an alpha channel.) However, the alpha channel on the clip in FCP has now become the whole rectangle of the image area, not just the mask area as it was in Photoshop, so when selected, the whole image is masked. Changing the alpha type, or reversing it, does not make any improvement. Is there a solution to this?
Many thanks
John

David,
I just had a breakthrough with this. The original file was CMYK. Creating an alpha channel and importing it into FCP gave me the problem. Converting it to RGB first, then creating the alpha channel and importing it, solved the problem. Doh!
Your line "sounds like you didn't create one" gave me the clue. Many thanks.
John

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