diff --git a/src/IO.f90 b/src/IO.f90
index 0092fd1e2..aca887a22 100644
--- a/src/IO.f90
+++ b/src/IO.f90
@@ -413,9 +413,9 @@ subroutine IO_error(error_ID,el,ip,g,instance,ext_msg)
   integer,          optional, intent(in) :: el,ip,g,instance
   character(len=*), optional, intent(in) :: ext_msg
 
-  external                               :: quit
-  character(len=pStringLen)              :: msg
-  character(len=pStringLen)              :: formatString
+  external                      :: quit
+  character(len=:), allocatable :: msg
+  character(len=pStringLen)     :: formatString
 
   select case (error_ID)
 
@@ -661,8 +661,8 @@ subroutine IO_warning(warning_ID,el,ip,g,ext_msg)
   integer,          optional, intent(in) :: el,ip,g
   character(len=*), optional, intent(in) :: ext_msg
 
-  character(len=pStringLen)              :: msg
-  character(len=pStringLen)              :: formatString
+  character(len=:), allocatable :: msg
+  character(len=pStringLen)     :: formatString
 
   select case (warning_ID)
     case (1)
diff --git a/src/grid/DAMASK_grid.f90 b/src/grid/DAMASK_grid.f90
index af1eb1353..7c0f87078 100644
--- a/src/grid/DAMASK_grid.f90
+++ b/src/grid/DAMASK_grid.f90
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ program DAMASK_grid
     N_t   = 0, &                                                                                    !< # of time indicators found in load case file
     N_n   = 0, &                                                                                    !< # of increment specifiers found in load case file
     N_def = 0                                                                                       !< # of rate of deformation specifiers found in load case file
-  character(len=pStringLen) :: &
+  character(len=:), allocatable :: &
     line
 
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/grid/grid_mech_FEM.f90 b/src/grid/grid_mech_FEM.f90
index 13382a444..43dbca00e 100644
--- a/src/grid/grid_mech_FEM.f90
+++ b/src/grid/grid_mech_FEM.f90
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ module grid_mech_FEM
     F_aim_lastInc  = math_I3, &                                                                     !< previous average deformation gradient
     P_av = 0.0_pReal                                                                                !< average 1st Piola--Kirchhoff stress
 
-  character(len=pStringLen), private :: incInfo                                                     !< time and increment information
+  character(len=:), allocatable, private :: incInfo                                                 !< time and increment information
 
   real(pReal), private, dimension(3,3,3,3) :: &
     C_volAvg = 0.0_pReal, &                                                                         !< current volume average stiffness
diff --git a/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_basic.f90 b/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_basic.f90
index 7300d9b39..ccbeb3c42 100644
--- a/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_basic.f90
+++ b/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_basic.f90
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ module grid_mech_spectral_basic
     F_aim_lastInc = math_I3, &                                                                      !< previous average deformation gradient
     P_av = 0.0_pReal                                                                                !< average 1st Piola--Kirchhoff stress
 
-  character(len=pStringLen) :: incInfo                                                              !< time and increment information
+  character(len=:), allocatable :: incInfo                                                          !< time and increment information
   real(pReal), private, dimension(3,3,3,3) :: &
     C_volAvg = 0.0_pReal, &                                                                         !< current volume average stiffness
     C_volAvgLastInc = 0.0_pReal, &                                                                  !< previous volume average stiffness
diff --git a/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_polarisation.f90 b/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_polarisation.f90
index cad0751cd..347a2a832 100644
--- a/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_polarisation.f90
+++ b/src/grid/grid_mech_spectral_polarisation.f90
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ module grid_mech_spectral_polarisation
     F_av = 0.0_pReal, &                                                                             !< average incompatible def grad field
     P_av = 0.0_pReal                                                                                !< average 1st Piola--Kirchhoff stress
 
-  character(len=pStringLen) :: incInfo                                                              !< time and increment information
+  character(len=:), allocatable :: incInfo                                                          !< time and increment information
   real(pReal), dimension(3,3,3,3) :: &
     C_volAvg = 0.0_pReal, &                                                                         !< current volume average stiffness
     C_volAvgLastInc = 0.0_pReal, &                                                                  !< previous volume average stiffness
diff --git a/src/mesh/DAMASK_mesh.f90 b/src/mesh/DAMASK_mesh.f90
index 5cb7d5120..b6cb4b2d1 100644
--- a/src/mesh/DAMASK_mesh.f90
+++ b/src/mesh/DAMASK_mesh.f90
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ program DAMASK_mesh
   integer, allocatable, dimension(:) :: chunkPos                                                    ! this is longer than needed for geometry parsing
   integer :: &
     N_def = 0                                                                                       !< # of rate of deformation specifiers found in load case file
-  character(len=pStringLen) :: &
+  character(len=:), allocatable :: &
     line
 
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------