diff --git a/processing/post/addCurl.py b/processing/post/addCurl.py
index 0221a5568..a70feae89 100755
--- a/processing/post/addCurl.py
+++ b/processing/post/addCurl.py
@@ -90,13 +90,14 @@ if options.vector == None and options.tensor == None:
 
 # --- loop over input files -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-if filenames == []: filenames = ['STDIN']
+if filenames == []: filenames = [None]
 
 for name in filenames:
-  if not (name == 'STDIN' or os.path.exists(name)): continue
-  table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name, outname = name+'_tmp',
-                            buffered = False)
-  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name != 'STDIN' else ''))
+  try:
+    table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name,buffered = False)
+  except:
+    continue
+  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name else ''))
 
 # ------------------------------------------ read header ------------------------------------------
 
@@ -116,7 +117,7 @@ for name in filenames:
   else: coordCol = table.label_index(options.coords)
 
   for type, data in items.iteritems():
-    for what in data['labels']:
+    for what in (data['labels'] if data['labels'] is not None else []):
       dim = table.label_dimension(what)
       if dim != data['dim']: remarks.append('column {} is not a {}.'.format(what,type))
       else:
@@ -171,4 +172,3 @@ for name in filenames:
 # ------------------------------------------ output finalization -----------------------------------
 
   table.close()                                                                                     # close input ASCII table (works for stdin)
-  if name != 'STDIN': os.rename(name+'_tmp',name)                                                   # overwrite old one with tmp new
diff --git a/processing/post/addDivergence.py b/processing/post/addDivergence.py
index 160a8694b..32e0bb120 100755
--- a/processing/post/addDivergence.py
+++ b/processing/post/addDivergence.py
@@ -75,13 +75,14 @@ if options.vector == None and options.tensor == None:
 
 # --- loop over input files -------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-if filenames == []: filenames = ['STDIN']
+if filenames == []: filenames = [None]
 
 for name in filenames:
-  if not (name == 'STDIN' or os.path.exists(name)): continue
-  table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name, outname = name+'_tmp',
-                            buffered = False)
-  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name != 'STDIN' else ''))
+  try:
+    table = damask.ASCIItable(name = name,buffered = False)
+  except:
+    continue
+  table.croak('\033[1m'+scriptName+'\033[0m'+(': '+name if name else ''))
 
 # ------------------------------------------ read header ------------------------------------------
 
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ for name in filenames:
   else: coordCol = table.label_index(options.coords)
 
   for type, data in items.iteritems():
-    for what in data['labels']:
+    for what in (data['labels'] if data['labels'] is not None else []):
       dim = table.label_dimension(what)
       if dim != data['dim']: remarks.append('column {} is not a {}.'.format(what,type))
       else:
@@ -157,4 +158,3 @@ for name in filenames:
 # ------------------------------------------ output finalization -----------------------------------
 
   table.close()                                                                                     # close input ASCII table (works for stdin)
-  if name != 'STDIN': os.rename(name+'_tmp',name)                                                   # overwrite old one with tmp new