diff --git a/python/damask/_configmaterial.py b/python/damask/_configmaterial.py
index 6fd671de1..e678dab03 100644
--- a/python/damask/_configmaterial.py
+++ b/python/damask/_configmaterial.py
@@ -232,9 +232,9 @@ class ConfigMaterial(Config):
 
         _,idx = np.unique(np.hstack(list(kwargs_.values())),return_index=True,axis=0)
         idx = np.sort(idx)
-        kwargs_ = {k:np.atleast_1d(v[idx].squeeze()) for k,v in kwargs_.items()}
-        for what in ['phase','homogenization']:
-            if what not in kwargs_: kwargs_[what]= what+'_label'
+        kwargs_ = {'phase':'phase_label',
+                   'homogenization': 'homogenization_label'} \
+                | {k:np.atleast_1d(v[idx].squeeze()) for k,v in kwargs_.items()}
 
         return ConfigMaterial().material_add(**kwargs_)