diff --git a/DDG4/src/Geant4Converter.cpp b/DDG4/src/Geant4Converter.cpp
index 21c50e8b2ad8a879e3f7cee4f26612b3c4db3d3f..becdcf30a55cdbdde515ace124dfba917af16723 100644
--- a/DDG4/src/Geant4Converter.cpp
+++ b/DDG4/src/Geant4Converter.cpp
@@ -512,6 +512,7 @@ void* Geant4Converter::handleMaterial(const string& name, Material medium) const
     // Set Birk's constant if it was supplied in the material table of the TGeoMaterial
     auto* ionisation = mat->GetIonisation();
     stringstream str;
+    str << (*mat);
     if ( ionisation )   {
       if ( ionisation_birks_constant > 0e0 )   {
 	ionisation->SetBirksConstant(ionisation_birks_constant);
@@ -522,7 +523,6 @@ void* Geant4Converter::handleMaterial(const string& name, Material medium) const
       if ( ionisation_ene_per_ion_pair > 0e0 )   {
 	ionisation->SetMeanEnergyPerIonPair(ionisation_ene_per_ion_pair);
       }
-      str << (*mat);
       str << "          log(MEE): " << std::setprecision(4) << ionisation->GetLogMeanExcEnergy();
       if ( ionisation_birks_constant > 0e0 )
 	str << "  Birk's constant: " << std::setprecision(4) << ionisation->GetBirksConstant() << " [mm/MeV]";