diff --git a/src/mesh/FEM_utilities.f90 b/src/mesh/FEM_utilities.f90
index d21450b29..a1a8ab96f 100644
--- a/src/mesh/FEM_utilities.f90
+++ b/src/mesh/FEM_utilities.f90
@@ -117,7 +117,13 @@ subroutine utilities_init
   CHKERRQ(ierr)
   if(debugPETSc) call PetscOptionsInsertString(PETSC_NULL_OPTIONS,trim(PETSCDEBUG),ierr)
   CHKERRQ(ierr)
-  call PetscOptionsInsertString(PETSC_NULL_OPTIONS,trim(petsc_defaultOptions),ierr)
+  call PetscOptionsInsertString(PETSC_NULL_OPTIONS,'-mech_snes_type newtonls &
+                               &-mech_snes_linesearch_type cp -mech_snes_ksp_ew &
+                               &-mech_snes_ksp_ew_rtol0 0.01 -mech_snes_ksp_ew_rtolmax 0.01 &
+                               &-mech_ksp_type fgmres -mech_ksp_max_it 25 &
+                               &-mech_pc_type ml -mech_mg_levels_ksp_type chebyshev &
+                               &-mech_mg_levels_pc_type sor -mech_pc_ml_nullspace user',ierr)
+  CHKERRQ(ierr)
   call PetscOptionsInsertString(PETSC_NULL_OPTIONS,trim(petsc_options),ierr)
   CHKERRQ(ierr)
   write(petsc_optionsOrder,'(a,i0)') '-mechFE_petscspace_degree ', structOrder
@@ -129,6 +135,7 @@ subroutine utilities_init
 
 end subroutine utilities_init
 
+
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 !> @brief calculates constitutive response
 !--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/numerics.f90 b/src/numerics.f90
index 73b6ea274..e4df43662 100644
--- a/src/numerics.f90
+++ b/src/numerics.f90
@@ -75,18 +75,6 @@ module numerics
    structOrder                =  2                                                                 !< order of displacement shape functions
  logical, protected, public :: &
    BBarStabilisation          = .false.
- character(len=*), parameter, public :: &
-   petsc_defaultOptions    = '-mech_snes_type newtonls &
-                             &-mech_snes_linesearch_type cp &
-                             &-mech_snes_ksp_ew &
-                             &-mech_snes_ksp_ew_rtol0 0.01 &
-                             &-mech_snes_ksp_ew_rtolmax 0.01 &
-                             &-mech_ksp_type fgmres &
-                             &-mech_ksp_max_it 25 &
-                             &-mech_pc_type ml &
-                             &-mech_mg_levels_ksp_type chebyshev &
-                             &-mech_mg_levels_pc_type sor &
-                             &-mech_pc_ml_nullspace user'
  character(len=pStringLen), protected, public :: &
    petsc_options           = ''
 #endif
@@ -303,7 +291,7 @@ subroutine numerics_init
 #ifdef FEM
  write(6,'(a24,1x,i8)')      ' integrationOrder:       ',integrationOrder
  write(6,'(a24,1x,i8)')      ' structOrder:            ',structOrder
- write(6,'(a24,1x,a)')       ' PETSc_options:          ',trim(petsc_defaultOptions)//' '//trim(petsc_options)
+ write(6,'(a24,1x,a)')       ' PETSc_options:          ',trim(petsc_options)
  write(6,'(a24,1x,L8)')      ' B-Bar stabilisation:    ',BBarStabilisation
 #endif