diff --git a/DDG4/python/DDSim/DD4hepSimulation.py b/DDG4/python/DDSim/DD4hepSimulation.py
index d066c2ace5b6ec4604e6dad3ec798239b8298ab9..c8397eae2d5f2e94e92b5fa54d8089d6bec1d7ff 100644
--- a/DDG4/python/DDSim/DD4hepSimulation.py
+++ b/DDG4/python/DDSim/DD4hepSimulation.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from DDSim.Helper.Physics import Physics
 from DDSim.Helper.Filter import Filter
 from DDSim.Helper.Random import Random
 from DDSim.Helper.Action import Action
+from DDSim.Helper.Output import Output, outputLevel, outputLevelType
 from DDSim.Helper.OutputConfig import OutputConfig
 from DDSim.Helper.InputConfig import InputConfig
 from DDSim.Helper.ConfigHelper import ConfigHelper
@@ -41,36 +42,6 @@ except ImportError:
 POSSIBLEINPUTFILES = (".stdhep", ".slcio", ".HEPEvt", ".hepevt", ".hepmc", ".pairs")
 
 
-def outputLevelType(level):
-  """Return verbosity level as integer if possible.
-
-  Still benefit from argparsers list of possible choices
-  """
-  try:
-    return int(level)
-  except:
-    return str(level)
-
-
-def outputLevel(level):
-  """return INT for outputlevel"""
-  if isinstance(level, int):
-    if level < 1 or 7 < level:
-      raise KeyError
-    return level
-  outputlevels = {"VERBOSE": 1,
-                  "DEBUG": 2,
-                  "INFO": 3,
-                  "WARNING": 4,
-                  "ERROR": 5,
-                  "FATAL": 6,
-                  "ALWAYS": 7}
-  return outputlevels[level.upper()]
-
-
-from DDSim.Helper.Output import Output  # noqa
-
-
 class DD4hepSimulation(object):
   """Class to hold all the parameters and functions to run simulation"""
 
@@ -592,16 +563,10 @@ class DD4hepSimulation(object):
   def __checkOutputLevel(self, level):
     """return outputlevel as int so we don't have to import anything for faster startup"""
     try:
-      level = int(level)
-      if level < 1 or 7 < level:
-        raise KeyError
-      return level
+      return outputLevel(level)
     except ValueError:
-      try:
-        return outputLevel(level.upper())
-      except ValueError:
-        self._errorMessages.append("ERROR: printLevel is neither integer nor string")
-        return -1
+      self._errorMessages.append("ERROR: printLevel is neither integer nor string")
+      return -1
     except KeyError:
       self._errorMessages.append("ERROR: printLevel '%s' unknown" % level)
       return -1
diff --git a/DDG4/python/DDSim/Helper/Output.py b/DDG4/python/DDSim/Helper/Output.py
index 2be6424199dedd00f599f642da4ba87612260ae9..cd81f68fea8fc475596e3322ffb2b4e825fa2acd 100644
--- a/DDG4/python/DDSim/Helper/Output.py
+++ b/DDG4/python/DDSim/Helper/Output.py
@@ -2,7 +2,33 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import, unicode_literals
 from DDSim.Helper.ConfigHelper import ConfigHelper
-from DDSim.DD4hepSimulation import outputLevel, outputLevelType
+
+
+def outputLevelType(level):
+  """Return verbosity level as integer if possible.
+
+  Still benefit from argparsers list of possible choices
+  """
+  try:
+    return int(level)
+  except ValueError:
+    return str(level)
+
+
+def outputLevel(level):
+  """return INT for outputlevel"""
+  if isinstance(level, int):
+    if level < 1 or 7 < level:
+      raise KeyError
+    return level
+  outputlevels = {"VERBOSE": 1,
+                  "DEBUG": 2,
+                  "INFO": 3,
+                  "WARNING": 4,
+                  "ERROR": 5,
+                  "FATAL": 6,
+                  "ALWAYS": 7}
+  return outputlevels[level.upper()]
 
 
 class Output(ConfigHelper):