diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 914dcb1d2..a969241f3 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -69,10 +69,10 @@ variables:
   PETSc_MPICH_Intel:               "$PETSc3_10_3IMPI2018Intel18_4"
   PETSc_MPICH_GNU:                 "$PETSc3_10_3MPICH3_3GNU8_2"
   # ++++++++++++ commercial FEM ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-  MSC2018:                         "FEM/MSC/2018"
+  MSC2018_1:                       "FEM/MSC/2018.1"
   MSC2019:                         "FEM/MSC/2019"
   # ------------ Defaults ----------------------------------------------
-  MSC:                             "$MSC2018"
+  MSC:                             "$MSC2018_1"
   IntelMarc:                       "$IntelCompiler17_8"
   IntelAbaqus:                     "$IntelCompiler16_4"
   HDF5Marc:                        "HDF5/1.10.4/Intel-17.8"
diff --git a/CONFIG b/CONFIG
index d5257b89b..6d5226c89 100644
--- a/CONFIG
+++ b/CONFIG
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 set DAMASK_NUM_THREADS    = 4
 
 set MSC_ROOT              = /opt/msc
-set MARC_VERSION          = 2018
+set MARC_VERSION          = 2018.1
 
 set ABAQUS_VERSION        = 2019
 
diff --git a/python/damask/solver/marc.py b/python/damask/solver/marc.py
index 778294d0a..5e728545d 100644
--- a/python/damask/solver/marc.py
+++ b/python/damask/solver/marc.py
@@ -42,24 +42,19 @@ class Marc(Solver):
 
 #--------------------------
   def submit_job(self,
-                 model        = 'model',
+                 model,
                  job          = 'job1',
-                 logfile      = None,
+                 logfile      = False,
                  compile      = False,
                  optimization ='',
                 ):
 
 
     damaskEnv = damask.environment.Environment()
-    
-    user = 'not found'
-
-    if compile:
-      if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(damaskEnv.relPath('src/'),'DAMASK_marc{}.f90'.format(self.version))):
-        user = os.path.join(damaskEnv.relPath('src/'),'DAMASK_marc{}'.format(self.version))
-    else:
-      if os.path.isfile(os.path.join(damaskEnv.relPath('src/'),'DAMASK_marc{}.marc'.format(self.version))):
-        user = os.path.join(damaskEnv.relPath('src/'),'DAMASK_marc{}'.format(self.version))
+   
+    user = os.path.join(damaskEnv.relPath('src'),'DAMASK_marc{}.{}'.format(self.version,'f90' if compile else 'marc'))
+    if not os.path.isfile(user):
+      raise FileNotFoundError("DAMASK4Marc ({}) '{}' not found".format(('source' if compile else 'binary'),user))
 
     # Define options [see Marc Installation and Operation Guide, pp 23]
     script = 'run_damask_{}mp'.format(optimization)
@@ -68,12 +63,11 @@ class Marc(Solver):
           ' -jid ' + model + '_' + job + \
           ' -nprocd 1  -autorst 0 -ci n  -cr n  -dcoup 0 -b no -v no'
 
-    if compile: cmd += ' -u ' + user+'.f90' + ' -save y'
-    else:       cmd += ' -prog ' + user
+    if compile: cmd += ' -u ' + user + ' -save y'
+    else:       cmd += ' -prog ' + os.path.splitext(user)[0]
 
-    print('job submission with{} compilation: {}'.format({False:'out',True:''}[compile],user))
-    if logfile:
-      log = open(logfile, 'w')
+    print('job submission with{} compilation: {}'.format('' if compile else 'out',user))
+    if logfile: log = open(logfile, 'w')
     print(cmd)
     process = subprocess.Popen(shlex.split(cmd),stdout = log,stderr = subprocess.STDOUT)
     log.close()