diff --git a/src/Marc/element.f90 b/src/Marc/element.f90
index 295a41547..b53322f34 100644
--- a/src/Marc/element.f90
+++ b/src/Marc/element.f90
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ subroutine tElement_init(self,elemType)
     case(13)
       self%cellNodeParentNodeWeights = CELLNODEPARENTNODEWEIGHTS13
     case default
-      call IO_error(0,ext_msg='invalid element type')
+      error stop 'invalid element type'
   end select