diff --git a/src/IO.f90 b/src/IO.f90
index a585fc7c4..8973860c2 100644
--- a/src/IO.f90
+++ b/src/IO.f90
@@ -544,6 +544,7 @@ end function IO_lc
 
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 !> @brief returns format string for integer values without leading zeros
+!> @details deprecated, use '(i0)' format specifier
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 pure function IO_intOut(intToPrint)
 
diff --git a/src/grid/DAMASK_grid.f90 b/src/grid/DAMASK_grid.f90
index e83cf3283..b6b415b5e 100644
--- a/src/grid/DAMASK_grid.f90
+++ b/src/grid/DAMASK_grid.f90
@@ -443,19 +443,12 @@ program DAMASK_spectral
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ! report begin of new step
          write(6,'(/,a)') ' ###########################################################################'
-         write(6,'(1x,a,es12.5'//&
-                 ',a,'//IO_intOut(inc)            //',a,'//IO_intOut(loadCases(currentLoadCase)%incs)//&
-                 ',a,'//IO_intOut(stepFraction)   //',a,'//IO_intOut(subStepFactor**cutBackLevel)//&
-                 ',a,'//IO_intOut(currentLoadCase)//',a,'//IO_intOut(size(loadCases))//')') &
+         write(6,'(1x,a,es12.5,6(a,i0))') &
                  'Time', time, &
                  's: Increment ', inc,'/',loadCases(currentLoadCase)%incs,&
                  '-', stepFraction,'/',subStepFactor**cutBackLevel,&
                  ' of load case ', currentLoadCase,'/',size(loadCases)
-         write(incInfo,&
-                 '(a,'//IO_intOut(totalIncsCounter)//&
-                 ',a,'//IO_intOut(sum(loadCases%incs))//&
-                 ',a,'//IO_intOut(stepFraction)//&
-                 ',a,'//IO_intOut(subStepFactor**cutBackLevel)//')') &
+         write(incInfo,'(4(a,i0))') &
                  'Increment ',totalIncsCounter,'/',sum(loadCases%incs),&
                  '-', stepFraction,'/',subStepFactor**cutBackLevel
          flush(6)
diff --git a/src/mesh/DAMASK_FEM.f90 b/src/mesh/DAMASK_FEM.f90
index 3d4c332a0..5ebcbe217 100644
--- a/src/mesh/DAMASK_FEM.f90
+++ b/src/mesh/DAMASK_FEM.f90
@@ -296,19 +296,12 @@ program DAMASK_FEM
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ! report begin of new step
         write(6,'(/,a)') ' ###########################################################################'
-        write(6,'(1x,a,es12.5'//&
-                ',a,'//IO_intOut(inc)//',a,'//IO_intOut(loadCases(currentLoadCase)%incs)//&
-                ',a,'//IO_intOut(stepFraction)//',a,'//IO_intOut(subStepFactor**cutBackLevel)//&
-                ',a,'//IO_intOut(currentLoadCase)//',a,'//IO_intOut(size(loadCases))//')') &
+        write(6,'(1x,a,es12.5,6(a,i0))')&
                 'Time', time, &
                 's: Increment ', inc, '/', loadCases(currentLoadCase)%incs,&
                 '-', stepFraction, '/', subStepFactor**cutBackLevel,&
                 ' of load case ', currentLoadCase,'/',size(loadCases)
-        write(incInfo,&
-               '(a,'//IO_intOut(totalIncsCounter)//&
-               ',a,'//IO_intOut(sum(loadCases%incs))//&
-               ',a,'//IO_intOut(stepFraction)//&
-               ',a,'//IO_intOut(subStepFactor**cutBackLevel)//')') &
+        write(incInfo,'(4(a,i0))') &
                'Increment ',totalIncsCounter,'/',sum(loadCases%incs),&
                '-',stepFraction, '/', subStepFactor**cutBackLevel
         flush(6)