diff --git a/code/DAMASK_abaqus_exp.f b/code/DAMASK_abaqus_exp.f
index e407074e6..4de615896 100644
--- a/code/DAMASK_abaqus_exp.f
+++ b/code/DAMASK_abaqus_exp.f
@@ -106,6 +106,8 @@ subroutine vumat(nBlock, nDir, nshr, nStateV, nFieldV, nProps, lAnneal, &
  use prec, only: &
    pReal, &
    pInt
+!$ use numerics, only: &
+!$ DAMASK_NumThreadsInt
  use FEsolving, only: &
    cycleCounter, &
    theTime, &
@@ -192,7 +194,14 @@ subroutine vumat(nBlock, nDir, nshr, nStateV, nFieldV, nProps, lAnneal, &
  real(pReal), dimension(6,6) :: ddsdde
  real(pReal) :: temp, timeInc
  integer(pInt) :: computationMode, n, i, cp_en
+ !$ integer :: defaultNumThreadsInt                                                                 !< default value set by Abaqus
+ !$ include "omp_lib.h"
 
+ !$ defaultNumThreadsInt = omp_get_num_threads()                                                    ! remember number of threads set by Marc
+ !$ call omp_set_num_threads(DAMASK_NumThreadsInt)                                                  ! set number of threads for parallel execution set by DAMASK_NUM_THREADS
+
+ enerInternNew = 0.0_pReal
+ enerInelasNew = 0.0_pReal
  computationMode = CPFEM_CALCRESULTS                                                                ! always calculate
  do n = 1,nblock(1)                                                                                 ! loop over vector of IPs
    temp    = tempOld(n)
@@ -279,6 +288,7 @@ subroutine vumat(nBlock, nDir, nshr, nStateV, nFieldV, nProps, lAnneal, &
                                          nBlock(2),mesh_FEasCP('elem', nBlock(4_pInt+n)))
   
  enddo
+ !$ call omp_set_num_threads(defaultNumThreadsInt)                                                  ! reset number of threads to stored default value
 
 end subroutine vumat
 
diff --git a/code/DAMASK_abaqus_std.f b/code/DAMASK_abaqus_std.f
index efea6ac92..6236701ae 100644
--- a/code/DAMASK_abaqus_std.f
+++ b/code/DAMASK_abaqus_std.f
@@ -101,11 +101,11 @@ subroutine UMAT(STRESS,STATEV,DDSDDE,SSE,SPD,SCD,&
                 TIME,DTIME,TEMP,DTEMP,PREDEF,DPRED,CMNAME,NDI,NSHR,NTENS,&
                 NSTATV,PROPS,NPROPS,COORDS,DROT,PNEWDT,CELENT,&
                 DFGRD0,DFGRD1,NOEL,NPT,KSLAY,KSPT,KSTEP,KINC)
- 
  use prec, only: &
    pReal, &
    pInt
  use numerics, only: &
+!$ DAMASK_NumThreadsInt, &
    usePingPong
  use FEsolving, only: &
    cycleCounter, &
@@ -202,11 +202,16 @@ subroutine UMAT(STRESS,STATEV,DDSDDE,SSE,SPD,SCD,&
  real(pReal), dimension(6,6) :: ddsdde_h
  integer(pInt) :: computationMode, i, cp_en
  logical :: cutBack
+ !$ integer :: defaultNumThreadsInt                                                                 !< default value set by Abaqus
+ !$ include "omp_lib.h"
 
  temperature = temp                                                                                 ! temp is intent(in)
  DDSDDT = 0.0_pReal
  DRPLDE = 0.0_pReal
 
+ !$ defaultNumThreadsInt = omp_get_num_threads()                                                    ! remember number of threads set by Marc
+ !$ call omp_set_num_threads(DAMASK_NumThreadsInt)                                                  ! set number of threads for parallel execution set by DAMASK_NUM_THREADS
+
  if (iand(debug_level(debug_abaqus),debug_levelBasic) /= 0 .and. noel == 1 .and. npt == 1) then
    !$OMP CRITICAL (write2out)
    write(6,*) 'el',noel,'ip',npt
@@ -342,6 +347,7 @@ subroutine UMAT(STRESS,STATEV,DDSDDE,SSE,SPD,SCD,&
  statev = materialpoint_results(1:min(nstatv,materialpoint_sizeResults),npt,mesh_FEasCP('elem', noel))
 
  if ( terminallyIll ) pnewdt = 0.5_pReal                                                            ! force cutback directly ?
+ !$ call omp_set_num_threads(defaultNumThreadsInt)                                                  ! reset number of threads to stored default value
 
 end subroutine UMAT
 
diff --git a/code/numerics.f90 b/code/numerics.f90
index 44fd00f9c..376e42cba 100644
--- a/code/numerics.f90
+++ b/code/numerics.f90
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ subroutine numerics_init
    IO_EOF
 
 #ifdef Spectral
-!$ use OMP_LIB, only: omp_set_num_threads                                                           ! Use the standard conforming module file for omp if not using MSC.Marc
+!$ use OMP_LIB, only: omp_set_num_threads                                                           ! Use the standard conforming module file for omp if using the spectral solver
 #endif  
  implicit none
 #ifndef Spectral