diff --git a/src/DAMASK_spectral.f90 b/src/DAMASK_spectral.f90
index 87b00f12e..fe7d78621 100755
--- a/src/DAMASK_spectral.f90
+++ b/src/DAMASK_spectral.f90
@@ -831,6 +831,8 @@ subroutine quit(stop_id)
  call PETScFinalize(ierr)
  if (ierr /= 0) write(6,'(a)') ' Error in PETScFinalize'
 #ifdef _OPENMP
+ ! If openMP is enabled, MPI is initialized before and independently of PETSc. Hence, also
+ ! take care of the finalization
  call MPI_finalize(error)
  if (error /= 0) write(6,'(a)') ' Error in MPI_finalize'
 #endif
diff --git a/src/spectral_interface.f90 b/src/spectral_interface.f90
index 3c8489d04..25421cc78 100644
--- a/src/spectral_interface.f90
+++ b/src/spectral_interface.f90
@@ -82,8 +82,10 @@ subroutine DAMASK_interface_init()
 
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ! PETSc Init
-#ifdef _OPENMP
- call MPI_Init_Thread(MPI_THREAD_FUNNELED,threadLevel,ierr);CHKERRQ(ierr)                           ! in case of OpenMP, don't rely on PETScInitialize doing MPI init
+#ifdef _OPENM
+ ! If openMP is enabled, check if the MPI libary supports it and initialize accordingly.
+ ! Otherwise, the first call to PETSc will do the initialization.
+ call MPI_Init_Thread(MPI_THREAD_FUNNELED,threadLevel,ierr);CHKERRQ(ierr)
  if (threadLevel<MPI_THREAD_FUNNELED) then
    write(6,'(a)') ' MPI library does not support OpenMP'
    call quit(1_pInt)