diff --git a/libsrc/interface/writeuser.cpp b/libsrc/interface/writeuser.cpp
index e2447bb1..62bfb691 100644
--- a/libsrc/interface/writeuser.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/interface/writeuser.cpp
@@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ void WriteFEPPFormat (const Mesh & mesh,
       int np = mesh.GetNP();
       int ne = mesh.GetNE();
       int nse = mesh.GetNSE();
-      int ns = mesh.GetNFD();
+      // int ns = mesh.GetNFD();
       int i, j;
 
       outfile.precision(5);
diff --git a/libsrc/meshing/meshtype.hpp b/libsrc/meshing/meshtype.hpp
index 2aca460c..1e679107 100644
--- a/libsrc/meshing/meshtype.hpp
+++ b/libsrc/meshing/meshtype.hpp
@@ -1091,7 +1091,7 @@ namespace netgen
     ///
     int secondorder = 0;
     /// high order element curvature
-    int elementorder;
+    int elementorder = 1;
     /// quad-dominated surface meshing
     int quad = 0;
     ///
diff --git a/libsrc/meshing/python_mesh.cpp b/libsrc/meshing/python_mesh.cpp
index 739f0e65..9c5dde91 100644
--- a/libsrc/meshing/python_mesh.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/meshing/python_mesh.cpp
@@ -143,6 +143,12 @@ void ExportNetgenMeshing()
                   FunctionPointer ([](MP & mp, double maxh) { return mp.maxh = maxh; }))
                   
     ;
+
+  bp::def("SetTestoutFile", FunctionPointer ([] (const string & filename)
+                                             {
+                                               delete testout;
+                                               testout = new ofstream (filename);
+                                             }));
 }