diff --git a/code/IO.f90 b/code/IO.f90
index 8f59390a4..414c75464 100644
--- a/code/IO.f90
+++ b/code/IO.f90
@@ -160,10 +160,14 @@ recursive function IO_read(fileUnit,reset) result(line)
 
  inquire(UNIT=unitOn(stack),NAME=path)                                                              ! path of current file
  stack = stack+1_pInt
- pathOn(stack) = path(1:scan(path,SEP,.true.))//input                                               ! glue include to current file's dir
+ if(scan(input,SEP) == 1) then                                                                      ! absolut path given (UNIX only)
+   pathOn(stack) = input
+ else
+   pathOn(stack) = path(1:scan(path,SEP,.true.))//input                                             ! glue include to current file's dir
+ endif
 
  open(newunit=unitOn(stack),iostat=myStat,file=pathOn(stack))                                       ! open included file
- if (myStat /= 0_pInt) call IO_error(100_pInt,ext_msg=path)
+ if (myStat /= 0_pInt) call IO_error(100_pInt,ext_msg=pathOn(stack))
 
  line = IO_read(fileUnit)
  
diff --git a/code/material.f90 b/code/material.f90
index e8e2bd9e3..6c5a948f6 100644
--- a/code/material.f90
+++ b/code/material.f90
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ subroutine material_init
  
  write(6,'(/,a)') ' <<<+-  material init  -+>>>'
  write(6,'(a)') ' $Id$'
- write(6,'(a16,a)')   ' Current time : ',IO_timeStamp()
+ write(6,'(a15,a)')   ' Current time: ',IO_timeStamp()
 #include "compilation_info.f90"
 
  if (.not. IO_open_jobFile_stat(FILEUNIT,material_localFileExt)) &                                  ! no local material configuration present...
@@ -393,6 +393,9 @@ subroutine material_parseMicrostructure(fileUnit,myPart)
  allocate(microstructure_active(Nsections),               source=.false.)
  allocate(microstructure_elemhomo(Nsections),             source=.false.)
 
+ if(any(mesh_element(4,1:mesh_NcpElems) > Nsections)) &
+  call IO_error(155_pInt,ext_msg='Microstructure in geometry > Sections in material.config')
+
  forall (e = 1_pInt:mesh_NcpElems) microstructure_active(mesh_element(4,e)) = .true.                ! current microstructure used in model? Elementwise view, maximum N operations for N elements
   
  microstructure_Nconstituents = IO_countTagInPart(fileUnit,myPart,'(constituent)',Nsections)
diff --git a/code/numerics.f90 b/code/numerics.f90
index 376e42cba..c92c9f221 100644
--- a/code/numerics.f90
+++ b/code/numerics.f90
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ subroutine numerics_init
 
  write(6,'(/,a)') ' <<<+-  numerics init  -+>>>'
  write(6,'(a)')   ' $Id$'
- write(6,'(a16,a)')   ' Current time : ',IO_timeStamp()
+ write(6,'(a15,a)')   ' Current time: ',IO_timeStamp()
 #include "compilation_info.f90"
 
 !$ call GET_ENVIRONMENT_VARIABLE(NAME='DAMASK_NUM_THREADS',VALUE=DAMASK_NumThreadsString,STATUS=gotDAMASK_NUM_THREADS)   ! get environment variable DAMASK_NUM_THREADS...