diff --git a/src/specfem2D/define_external_model_from_tomo_file.f90 b/src/specfem2D/define_external_model_from_tomo_file.f90
index 6a8e91d3d..19d3aaff9 100644
--- a/src/specfem2D/define_external_model_from_tomo_file.f90
+++ b/src/specfem2D/define_external_model_from_tomo_file.f90
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ subroutine define_external_model_from_tomo_file(rhoext,vpext,vsext, &
                                                                        c33ext,c35ext,c55ext
 
   ! local parameters
-  integer :: i,j,ispec,iglob
+  integer :: i,j,ispec,iglob,ival
   double precision :: xmesh,zmesh
   double precision :: rho_final
   double precision :: vp_final,vs_final
@@ -407,9 +407,10 @@ subroutine define_external_model_from_tomo_file(rhoext,vpext,vsext, &
   do ispec = 1,nspec
     do j = 1,NGLLZ
       do i = 1,NGLLX
-        iglob = ibool(i,j,ispec)
+        ! determine material properties
         if (kmato(ispec) == tomo_material) then
           ! If the material has been set to < 0 on the Par_file
+          iglob = ibool(i,j,ispec)
           xmesh = coord(1,iglob)
           zmesh = coord(2,iglob)
 
@@ -512,10 +513,10 @@ subroutine define_external_model_from_tomo_file(rhoext,vpext,vsext, &
   call synchronize_all()
 
   ! collect totals
-  iglob = npoint_tomo
-  call max_all_i(iglob,npoint_tomo)
-  iglob = npoint_internal
-  call max_all_i(iglob,npoint_internal)
+  ival = npoint_tomo
+  call max_all_i(ival,npoint_tomo)
+  ival = npoint_internal
+  call max_all_i(ival,npoint_internal)
 
   ! user output
   if (myrank == 0) then
diff --git a/src/specfem2D/setup_mesh.F90 b/src/specfem2D/setup_mesh.F90
index 2cfd3a505..25f47c238 100644
--- a/src/specfem2D/setup_mesh.F90
+++ b/src/specfem2D/setup_mesh.F90
@@ -561,6 +561,8 @@ subroutine setup_mesh_material_properties()
   double precision :: c33min_glob,c33max_glob,c35min_glob,c35max_glob
   double precision :: c55min_glob,c55max_glob
 
+  logical :: has_poroelasticity, has_anisotropy
+
   ! vtk output
   character(len=MAX_STRING_LEN) :: filename,prname
   double precision,dimension(:,:,:),allocatable :: tmp_store
@@ -945,16 +947,25 @@ subroutine setup_mesh_material_properties()
   tmp_val = maxval(qmu_attenuation_store)
   call max_all_dp(tmp_val, qmumax_glob)
 
-  if (any_poroelastic) then
+  ! poroelasticity
+  ! check if any poroelastic elements in domains
+  call any_all_l(any_poroelastic,has_poroelasticity)
+  if (has_poroelasticity) then
     ! vpII
-    call min_all_dp(vpIImin_glob, vpIImin_glob)
-    call max_all_dp(vpIImax_glob, vpIImax_glob)
+    tmp_val = vpIImin_glob
+    call min_all_dp(tmp_val, vpIImin_glob)
+    tmp_val = vpIImax_glob
+    call max_all_dp(tmp_val, vpIImax_glob)
     ! phi
-    call min_all_dp(phimin_glob, phimin_glob)
-    call max_all_dp(phimax_glob, phimax_glob)
+    tmp_val = phimin_glob
+    call min_all_dp(tmp_val, phimin_glob)
+    tmp_val = phimax_glob
+    call max_all_dp(tmp_val, phimax_glob)
   endif
 
-  if (any_anisotropy) then
+  ! anisotropy
+  call any_all_l(any_anisotropy,has_anisotropy)
+  if (has_anisotropy) then
     ! c11
     tmp_val = minval(c11store)
     call min_all_dp(tmp_val, c11min_glob)
@@ -1017,13 +1028,13 @@ subroutine setup_mesh_material_properties()
     write(IMAIN,*) '  vs  : min/max = ',sngl(vsmin_glob),'/',sngl(vsmax_glob)
     write(IMAIN,*) '  vp  : min/max = ',sngl(vpmin_glob),'/',sngl(vpmax_glob)
     write(IMAIN,*)
-    if (any_poroelastic) then
+    if (has_poroelasticity) then
       write(IMAIN,*) '  poroelasticity:'
       write(IMAIN,*) '    vpII: min/max = ',sngl(vpIImin_glob),'/',sngl(vpIImax_glob)
       write(IMAIN,*) '    phi : min/max = ',sngl(phimin_glob),'/',sngl(phimax_glob)
       write(IMAIN,*)
     endif
-    if (any_anisotropy) then
+    if (has_anisotropy) then
       write(IMAIN,*) '  anisotropy:'
       write(IMAIN,*) '    c11: min/max = ',sngl(c11min_glob),'/',sngl(c11max_glob)
       write(IMAIN,*) '    c12: min/max = ',sngl(c12min_glob),'/',sngl(c12max_glob)
diff --git a/src/specfem2D/specfem2D_par.f90 b/src/specfem2D/specfem2D_par.f90
index 491f8797a..00cab2d0a 100644
--- a/src/specfem2D/specfem2D_par.f90
+++ b/src/specfem2D/specfem2D_par.f90
@@ -423,8 +423,11 @@ module specfem_par
   ! anisotropy
   integer :: nspec_aniso
 
+  ! local flag if any anisotropic element is in this slice
   logical :: any_anisotropy
+  ! local flag if all elements are anisotropic in this slice
   logical :: all_anisotropic
+
   logical, dimension(:), allocatable :: ispec_is_anisotropic
 
   ! inverse mass matrices