diff --git a/code/CPFEM.f90 b/code/CPFEM.f90
index b273518ce..effa2b4a1 100644
--- a/code/CPFEM.f90
+++ b/code/CPFEM.f90
@@ -266,7 +266,8 @@ subroutine CPFEM_general(mode, ffn, ffn1, Temperature, dt, element, IP, cauchySt
                                                       materialpoint_Temperature, &
                                                       materialpoint_stressAndItsTangent, &
                                                       materialpoint_postResults
-  use IO, only:                                       IO_write_jobBinaryFile
+  use IO, only:                                       IO_write_jobBinaryFile, &
+                                                      IO_warning
   use mpie_interface
   
   implicit none
@@ -537,6 +538,11 @@ subroutine CPFEM_general(mode, ffn, ffn1, Temperature, dt, element, IP, cauchySt
   pstress(:,:)   = materialpoint_P(:,:,IP,cp_en)
   dPdF(:,:,:,:)  = materialpoint_dPdF(:,:,:,:,IP,cp_en)
 
+  ! warning for zero stiffness
+  if (all(abs(jacobian) < 1e-10_pReal)) then
+    call IO_warning(601,cp_en,IP)
+  endif
+  
   if (selectiveDebugger .and. cp_en == debug_e .and. IP == debug_i .and. mode < 6) then
     !$OMP CRITICAL (write2out)
       write(6,'(a,x,i2,x,a,x,i4,/,6(f10.3,x)/)') 'stress/MPa at ip', IP, 'el', cp_en, cauchyStress/1e6
diff --git a/code/IO.f90 b/code/IO.f90
index 3202f1772..104674bb1 100644
--- a/code/IO.f90
+++ b/code/IO.f90
@@ -1377,6 +1377,8 @@ endfunction
    msg = '+    crystallite debugging off...    +'
  case (600)
    msg = '+  crystallite responds elastically  +'
+ case (601)
+   msg = '+      stiffness close to zero       +'
  case (650)
    msg = '+     polar decomposition failed     +'
  case (700)
@@ -1393,10 +1395,14 @@ endfunction
  write(6,'(a38)') msg
  if (present(ext_msg))  write(6,*) '+ ',ext_msg
  if (present(e)) then
-   if (present(i) .and. present(g)) then
-     write(6,'(a12,x,i6,x,a2,x,i2,x,a5,x,i4,a2)') '+ at element',e,'IP',i,'grain',g,' +'
+   if (present(i)) then
+     if (present(g)) then
+       write(6,'(a12,x,i6,x,a2,x,i2,x,a5,x,i4,a2)') '+ at element',e,'IP',i,'grain',g,' +'
+     else
+       write(6,'(a12,x,i6,x,a2,x,i2,a13)') '+ at element',e,'IP',i,'            +'
+     endif
    else
-     write(6,'(a17,i6,a14)') '+              at ',e,'             +'
+     write(6,'(a12,x,i6,a19)') '+ at element',e,'             +'
    endif
  endif
  write(6,'(a38)') '+------------------------------------+'