diff --git a/python/damask/VERSION b/python/damask/VERSION
index 6058acdf5..dcf64603b 100644
--- a/python/damask/VERSION
+++ b/python/damask/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-v3.0.0-alpha6-157-gecb33641d
+v3.0.0-alpha6-170-gfab34d5c3
diff --git a/python/damask/_config.py b/python/damask/_config.py
index df670bc97..7adcee9df 100644
--- a/python/damask/_config.py
+++ b/python/damask/_config.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class Config(dict):
             Configuration from file.
 
         """
-        fhandle = open(fname) if isinstance(fname, (str, Path)) else \
+        fhandle = open(Path(fname).expanduser()) if isinstance(fname, (str, Path)) else \
                   fname
 
         return cls(yaml.safe_load(fhandle))
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ class Config(dict):
             Keyword arguments parsed to yaml.dump.
 
         """
-        fhandle = open(fname,'w',newline='\n') if isinstance(fname, (str, Path)) else \
+        fhandle = open(Path(fname).expanduser(),'w',newline='\n') if isinstance(fname, (str, Path)) else \
                   fname
 
         if 'width' not in kwargs:
diff --git a/python/damask/util.py b/python/damask/util.py
index 285c5f682..a18fe9503 100644
--- a/python/damask/util.py
+++ b/python/damask/util.py
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ def DREAM3D_base_group(fname: Union[str, Path]) -> str:
         Path to the base group.
 
     """
-    with h5py.File(fname,'r') as f:
+    with h5py.File(Path(fname).expanduser(),'r') as f:
         base_group = f.visit(lambda path: path.rsplit('/',2)[0] if '_SIMPL_GEOMETRY/SPACING' in path else None)
 
     if base_group is None:
@@ -615,7 +615,7 @@ def DREAM3D_cell_data_group(fname: Union[str, Path]) -> str:
 
     """
     base_group = DREAM3D_base_group(fname)
-    with h5py.File(fname,'r') as f:
+    with h5py.File(Path(fname).expanduser(),'r') as f:
         cells = tuple(f['/'.join([base_group,'_SIMPL_GEOMETRY','DIMENSIONS'])][()][::-1])
         cell_data_group = f[base_group].visititems(lambda path,obj: path.split('/')[0] \
                                                    if isinstance(obj,h5py._hl.dataset.Dataset) and np.shape(obj)[:-1] == cells \
diff --git a/src/IO.f90 b/src/IO.f90
index 591a8c733..493970824 100644
--- a/src/IO.f90
+++ b/src/IO.f90
@@ -498,6 +498,8 @@ subroutine IO_error(error_ID,el,ip,g,instance,ext_msg)
       msg = 'Length mismatch'
     case (710)
       msg = 'Closing quotation mark missing in string'
+    case (711)
+      msg = 'Incorrect type'
 
 !-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ! errors related to the mesh solver
diff --git a/src/YAML_types.f90 b/src/YAML_types.f90
index c57f602cf..d7ca71cbb 100644
--- a/src/YAML_types.f90
+++ b/src/YAML_types.f90
@@ -1218,6 +1218,7 @@ function tList_as1dFloat(self)
   item => self%first
   do i = 1, self%length
     scalar => item%node%asScalar()
+    if (.not. associated(scalar)) call IO_error(711,ext_msg='float scalar')
     tList_as1dFloat(i) = scalar%asFloat()
     item => item%next
   end do
@@ -1245,6 +1246,7 @@ function tList_as2dFloat(self)
   do i=1,self%length
     row => self%get(i)
     row_data => row%asList()
+    if (.not. associated(row_data)) call IO_error(711,ext_msg='list of floats')
     if (row_data%length /= size(tList_as2dFloat,2)) call IO_error(709,ext_msg='Varying number of columns')
     tList_as2dFloat(i,:) = self%get_as1dFloat(i)
   end do
@@ -1269,6 +1271,7 @@ function tList_as1dInt(self)
   item => self%first
   do i = 1, self%length
     scalar => item%node%asScalar()
+    if (.not. associated(scalar)) call IO_error(711,ext_msg='int scalar')
     tList_as1dInt(i) = scalar%asInt()
     item => item%next
   end do
@@ -1293,6 +1296,7 @@ function tList_as1dBool(self)
   item => self%first
   do i = 1, self%length
     scalar => item%node%asScalar()
+    if (.not. associated(scalar)) call IO_error(711,ext_msg='bool scalar')
     tList_as1dBool(i) = scalar%asBool()
     item => item%next
   end do
@@ -1317,6 +1321,7 @@ function tList_as1dString(self)
   item => self%first
   do i = 1, self%length
     scalar => item%node%asScalar()
+    if (.not. associated(scalar)) call IO_error(711,ext_msg='string scalar')
     len_max = max(len_max, len_trim(scalar%asString()))
     item => item%next
   end do