diff --git a/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.cpp b/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.cpp
index 554609d5..20c39384 100644
--- a/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.cpp
@@ -5910,6 +5910,7 @@ namespace netgen
   }
 
   string Mesh :: cd2_default_name = "default";
+  string Mesh :: default_bc = "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 189684d3..4cb18140 100644
--- a/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.hpp
+++ b/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.hpp
@@ -625,8 +625,9 @@ namespace netgen
     }
     size_t GetNCD2Names() const { return cd2names.Size(); }
 
+    DLL_HEADER static string default_bc;
     string * GetBCNamePtr (int bcnr) const
-    { return bcnr < bcnames.Size() ? bcnames[bcnr] : nullptr; }
+    { return (bcnr < bcnames.Size() && bcnames[bcnr]) ? bcnames[bcnr] : &default_bc; }
 
     ///
     void ClearFaceDescriptors()