diff --git a/src/phase_mechanical_plastic_dislotungsten.f90 b/src/phase_mechanical_plastic_dislotungsten.f90
index c099cfd30..2d3da1534 100644
--- a/src/phase_mechanical_plastic_dislotungsten.f90
+++ b/src/phase_mechanical_plastic_dislotungsten.f90
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ pure subroutine kinetics(Mp,T,ph,en, &
 
     tau_pos = [(math_tensordot(Mp,prm%P_nS_pos(1:3,1:3,i)),i=1,prm%sum_N_sl)]
     tau_neg = [(math_tensordot(Mp,prm%P_nS_neg(1:3,1:3,i)),i=1,prm%sum_N_sl)]
-    tau_eff = math_clip(merge(tau_pos,tau_neg, tau_pos>tau_neg) - dst%tau_pass(:,en),left = 0.0_pREAL)
+    tau_eff = math_clip(max(tau_pos,tau_neg) - dst%tau_pass(:,en),left = 0.0_pREAL)
 
     if (present(tau)) tau = tau_eff
 
diff --git a/src/phase_mechanical_plastic_kinehardening.f90 b/src/phase_mechanical_plastic_kinehardening.f90
index 1f370db56..9ca963e83 100644
--- a/src/phase_mechanical_plastic_kinehardening.f90
+++ b/src/phase_mechanical_plastic_kinehardening.f90
@@ -336,7 +336,6 @@ module function plastic_kinehardening_dotState(Mp,ph,en) result(dotState)
                *                      exp(-(stt%gamma(:,en)-stt%gamma_flip(:,en))*prm%h_0_chi/(prm%chi_inf+stt%chi_flip(:,en))) &
               )
 
-
   end associate
 
 end function plastic_kinehardening_dotState
@@ -457,11 +456,11 @@ pure subroutine kinetics(Mp,ph,en, &
 
     dot_gamma = merge(+1.0_pREAL,-1.0_pREAL, tau_pos>tau_neg) &
               * prm%dot_gamma_0  &
-              * (merge(tau_pos,tau_neg, tau_pos>tau_neg)/stt%xi(:,en))**prm%n
+              * (max(tau_pos,tau_neg)/stt%xi(:,en))**prm%n
 
     if (present(ddot_gamma_dtau)) then
       where(dNeq0(dot_gamma))
-        ddot_gamma_dtau = dot_gamma*prm%n/merge(tau_pos,tau_neg, tau_pos>tau_neg)
+        ddot_gamma_dtau = dot_gamma*prm%n/max(tau_pos,tau_neg)
       else where
         ddot_gamma_dtau = 0.0_pREAL
       end where
diff --git a/src/phase_mechanical_plastic_phenopowerlaw.f90 b/src/phase_mechanical_plastic_phenopowerlaw.f90
index 450bf6f6b..e078ab986 100644
--- a/src/phase_mechanical_plastic_phenopowerlaw.f90
+++ b/src/phase_mechanical_plastic_phenopowerlaw.f90
@@ -465,11 +465,11 @@ pure subroutine kinetics_sl(Mp,ph,en, &
 
     dot_gamma_sl = merge(+1.0_pREAL,-1.0_pREAL, tau_sl_pos>tau_sl_neg) &
                  * prm%dot_gamma_0_sl  &
-                 * (merge(tau_sl_pos,tau_sl_neg, tau_sl_pos>tau_sl_neg)/stt%xi_sl(:,en))**prm%n_sl
+                 * (max(tau_sl_pos,tau_sl_neg)/stt%xi_sl(:,en))**prm%n_sl
 
     if (present(ddot_gamma_dtau_sl)) then
       where(dNeq0(dot_gamma_sl))
-        ddot_gamma_dtau_sl = dot_gamma_sl*prm%n_sl/merge(tau_sl_pos,tau_sl_neg, tau_sl_pos>tau_sl_neg)
+        ddot_gamma_dtau_sl = dot_gamma_sl*prm%n_sl/max(tau_sl_pos,tau_sl_neg)
       else where
         ddot_gamma_dtau_sl = 0.0_pREAL
       end where