diff --git a/libsrc/include/nginterface_v2_impl.hpp b/libsrc/include/nginterface_v2_impl.hpp
index b853cf78..7000080f 100644
--- a/libsrc/include/nginterface_v2_impl.hpp
+++ b/libsrc/include/nginterface_v2_impl.hpp
@@ -72,13 +72,16 @@ NGX_INLINE DLL_HEADER Ng_Element Ngx_Mesh :: GetElement<0> (size_t nr) const
   ret.facets.base = POINTINDEX_BASE;
   ret.facets.ptr = (int*)&el.pnum;
 
+  /*
   if (mesh->GetDimension() == 1)
     ret.mat = *(mesh->GetBCNamePtr(el.index-1));
   else if (mesh->GetDimension() == 2)
     ret.mat = *(mesh->GetCD2NamePtr(el.index-1));
   else
     ret.mat = *(mesh->GetCD3NamePtr(el.index-1));
-
+  */
+  ret.mat = mesh->GetRegionName(0, el.index);
+    
   ret.is_curved = false;
   return ret;
 }
@@ -97,6 +100,8 @@ NGX_INLINE DLL_HEADER Ng_Element Ngx_Mesh :: GetElement<1> (size_t nr) const
     ret.index = el.edgenr;
   else
     ret.index = el.si;
+
+  /*
   if (mesh->GetDimension() == 2)
     ret.mat = *(mesh->GetBCNamePtr(el.si-1));
   else
@@ -106,6 +111,8 @@ NGX_INLINE DLL_HEADER Ng_Element Ngx_Mesh :: GetElement<1> (size_t nr) const
       else
         ret.mat = *(mesh->GetMaterialPtr(el.si));
     }
+  */
+  ret.mat = mesh->GetRegionName(1, ret.index);
 
   ret.points.num = el.GetNP();
   ret.points.ptr = (int*)&(el[0]);
diff --git a/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.cpp b/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.cpp
index f18261c8..36184949 100644
--- a/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.cpp
@@ -4828,10 +4828,7 @@ namespace netgen
           delete str;
         bcnames.SetSize(0);
         for(auto str: cd2names)
-          {
-            cout << "found material = " << *str << endl;
-            materials.Append(str);
-          }
+          materials.Append(str);
         cd2names.SetSize(0);
         for(auto str : cd3names)
           bcnames.Append(str);
@@ -7416,6 +7413,7 @@ namespace netgen
   }
 
   string Mesh :: defaultmat = "default";
+  string_view Mesh :: defaultmat_sv = "default";  
   const string & Mesh :: GetMaterial (int domnr) const
   {
     if (domnr <= materials.Size())
diff --git a/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.hpp b/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.hpp
index 6188debe..285448a3 100644
--- a/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.hpp
+++ b/libsrc/meshing/meshclass.hpp
@@ -128,6 +128,13 @@ namespace netgen
     */
     NgArray<EdgeDescriptor> edgedecoding;
 
+    Array<string*> region_name_cd[4];
+    Array<string*> & materials = region_name_cd[0];
+    Array<string*> & bcnames   = region_name_cd[1];
+    Array<string*> & cd2names  = region_name_cd[2];
+    Array<string*> & cd3names  = region_name_cd[3];
+
+    /*
     /// sub-domain materials 
     Array<string*> materials;
 
@@ -139,7 +146,8 @@ namespace netgen
 
     /// labels for co dim 3 bbboundary conditions
     Array<string*> cd3names;
-
+    */
+    
     /// Periodic surface, close surface, etc. identifications
     unique_ptr<Identifications> ident;
 
@@ -775,6 +783,15 @@ namespace netgen
     std::string_view GetRegionName(SegmentIndex ei) const { return GetRegionName((*this)[ei]); }
     std::string_view GetRegionName(SurfaceElementIndex ei) const { return GetRegionName((*this)[ei]); }
     std::string_view GetRegionName(ElementIndex ei) const { return GetRegionName((*this)[ei]); }
+
+    DLL_HEADER static string_view defaultmat_sv;
+    std::string_view GetRegionName (int dim, int domnr) // 1-based domnr
+    {
+      domnr--;
+      auto & names = region_name_cd[dimension-dim];
+      if (domnr < names.Size() && names[domnr]) return *names[domnr];
+      return defaultmat_sv;
+    }
     
     ///
     void ClearFaceDescriptors()