diff --git a/MaterialLib/MPL/VariableType.cpp b/MaterialLib/MPL/VariableType.cpp
index 9c3df233edca97efe4ec379d6fba7ed2312b41a9..0a1f13d420c58a91166c92114fc7a582a0001195 100644
--- a/MaterialLib/MPL/VariableType.cpp
+++ b/MaterialLib/MPL/VariableType.cpp
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ Variable convertStringToVariable(std::string const& input)
     {
         return Variable::liquid_saturation;
     }
-    if (boost::iequals(input, "u"))
+    if (boost::iequals(input, "displacement"))
     {
-        return Variable::u;
+        return Variable::displacement;
     }
 
     OGS_FATAL(
diff --git a/MaterialLib/MPL/VariableType.h b/MaterialLib/MPL/VariableType.h
index 15cd7b2ea89bc52a6a1d712d1446678769ed52f7..42b27e90e091e9fcc90b152ecc937f5287623054 100644
--- a/MaterialLib/MPL/VariableType.h
+++ b/MaterialLib/MPL/VariableType.h
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ enum Variable : int
     liquid_density,
     temperature,
     liquid_saturation,
-    u,
+    displacement,
     number_of_variables
 };