diff --git a/ProcessLib/ProcessVariable.cpp b/ProcessLib/ProcessVariable.cpp
index 2ad413a681f852e1e5d8600489ae8898498c4f0b..58e3c441585879151b2fcc9b7af4ef16b5ae157d 100644
--- a/ProcessLib/ProcessVariable.cpp
+++ b/ProcessLib/ProcessVariable.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ ProcessVariable::ProcessVariable(
       _mesh(mesh),
       //! \ogs_file_param{prj__process_variables__process_variable__components}
       _n_components(config.getConfigParameter<int>("components")),
+      //! \ogs_file_param{prj__process_variables__process_variable__order}
+      _shapefunction_order(config.getConfigParameter<unsigned>("order")),
       _initial_condition(findParameter<double>(
           //! \ogs_file_param{prj__process_variables__process_variable__initial_condition}
           config.getConfigParameter<std::string>("initial_condition"),
@@ -34,9 +36,6 @@ ProcessVariable::ProcessVariable(
       _bc_builder(new BoundaryConditionBuilder())
 {
     DBUG("Constructing process variable %s", _name.c_str());
-    //! \ogs_file_param{prj__process_variables__process_variable__order}
-    auto opt_shapefunction_order = config.getConfigParameterOptional<int>("order");
-    _shapefunction_order = (opt_shapefunction_order ? opt_shapefunction_order.get() : 1);
 
     // Boundary conditions
     //! \ogs_file_param{prj__process_variables__process_variable__boundary_conditions}