diff --git a/python/damask/__init__.py b/python/damask/__init__.py
index 0f343a581..6d65f7cd1 100644
--- a/python/damask/__init__.py
+++ b/python/damask/__init__.py
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 """Tools for pre and post processing of DAMASK simulations."""
-import os as _os
+from pathlib import Path as _Path
 import re as _re
 
 name = 'damask'
-with open(_os.path.join(_os.path.dirname(__file__),'VERSION')) as _f:
+with open(_Path(__file__).parent/_Path('VERSION')) as _f:
     version = _re.sub(r'^v','',_f.readline().strip())
 
 # make classes directly accessible as damask.Class
diff --git a/python/damask/_result.py b/python/damask/_result.py
index 73a038c4c..b6ac3782e 100644
--- a/python/damask/_result.py
+++ b/python/damask/_result.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import os
 import datetime
 import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
 import xml.dom.minidom
+from pathlib import Path
 from functools import partial
 
 import h5py
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ class Result:
                           'con_physics':    self.con_physics, 'mat_physics':    self.mat_physics
                          }
 
-        self.fname = os.path.abspath(fname)
+        self.fname = Path(fname).absolute()
 
         self._allow_overwrite = False
 
@@ -1163,7 +1164,7 @@ class Result:
                                                        'Dimensions': '{} {} {} {}'.format(*self.grid,np.prod(shape))}
                                 data_items[-1].text='{}:{}'.format(os.path.split(self.fname)[1],name)
 
-        with open(os.path.splitext(self.fname)[0]+'.xdmf','w') as f:
+        with open(self.fname.with_suffix('.xdmf').name,'w') as f:
             f.write(xml.dom.minidom.parseString(ET.tostring(xdmf).decode()).toprettyxml())
 
 
@@ -1239,7 +1240,4 @@ class Result:
             u = self.read_dataset(self.get_dataset_location('u_n' if mode.lower() == 'cell' else 'u_p'))
             v.add(u,'u')
 
-            file_out = '{}_inc{}'.format(os.path.splitext(os.path.basename(self.fname))[0],
-                                            inc[3:].zfill(N_digits))
-
-            v.write(file_out)
+            v.write('{}_inc{}'.format(self.fname.stem,inc[3:].zfill(N_digits)))
diff --git a/python/damask/_vtk.py b/python/damask/_vtk.py
index 58b43dc1f..72e224bda 100644
--- a/python/damask/_vtk.py
+++ b/python/damask/_vtk.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import os
+from pathlib import Path
 
 import pandas as pd
 import numpy as np
@@ -126,8 +126,8 @@ class VTK:
             vtkUnstructuredGrid, and vtkPolyData.
 
         """
-        ext = os.path.splitext(fname)[1]
-        if ext == '.vtk':
+        ext = Path(fname).suffix
+        if ext == '.vtk' or dataset_type:
             reader = vtk.vtkGenericDataObjectReader()
             reader.SetFileName(fname)
             reader.Update()
@@ -176,10 +176,10 @@ class VTK:
             writer = vtk.vtkXMLPolyDataWriter()
 
         default_ext = writer.GetDefaultFileExtension()
-        name, ext = os.path.splitext(fname)
+        ext = Path(fname).suffix
         if ext and ext != '.'+default_ext:
-            raise ValueError('Given extension {} is not .{}'.format(ext,default_ext))
-        writer.SetFileName('{}.{}'.format(name,default_ext))
+            raise ValueError('Given extension {} does not match default .{}'.format(ext,default_ext))
+        writer.SetFileName(str(Path(fname).with_suffix('.'+default_ext)))
         writer.SetCompressorTypeToZLib()
         writer.SetDataModeToBinary()
         writer.SetInputData(self.geom)