diff --git a/libsrc/include/nginterface_v2_impl.hpp b/libsrc/include/nginterface_v2_impl.hpp
index 472f7e61..0bcd71d9 100644
--- a/libsrc/include/nginterface_v2_impl.hpp
+++ b/libsrc/include/nginterface_v2_impl.hpp
@@ -74,9 +74,8 @@ NGX_INLINE DLL_HEADER Ng_Element Ngx_Mesh :: GetElement<1> (size_t nr) const
     ret.mat = mesh->GetBCNamePtr(el.si-1);
   else
     {
-      if (mesh->GetDimension() == 3){
-        ret.mat = &mesh->GetCD2Name(el.edgenr-1);
-      }
+      if (mesh->GetDimension() == 3)
+        ret.mat = mesh->GetCD2NamePtr(el.edgenr-1);
       else
         ret.mat = nullptr;
     }
diff --git a/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.cpp b/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.cpp
index 396631f4..396bb167 100644
--- a/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.cpp
@@ -5832,6 +5832,7 @@ namespace netgen
       cd2names[cd2nr] = nullptr;
   }
 
+  string Mesh :: cd2_default_name = "default";
   const string & Mesh :: GetCD2Name (int cd2nr) const
   {
     static string defaultstring  = "default";
diff --git a/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.hpp b/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.hpp
index 7fc6ca1a..cf5e7de2 100644
--- a/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.hpp
+++ b/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.hpp
@@ -606,6 +606,12 @@ namespace netgen
     DLL_HEADER void SetCD2Name (int cd2nr, const string & abcname);
 
     const string & GetCD2Name (int cd2nr ) const;
+    static string cd2_default_name;
+    string * GetCD2NamePtr (int cd2nr ) const
+    {
+      if (cd2nr < cd2names.Size() && cd2names[cd2nr]) return cd2names[cd2nr];
+      return &cd2_default_name;
+    }
     size_t GetNCD2Names() const { return cd2names.Size(); }
 
     string * GetBCNamePtr (int bcnr) const