diff --git a/dune/fem-dg/operator/dg/dgpyoperator.hh b/dune/fem-dg/operator/dg/dgpyoperator.hh
index 588de0af1806ea15452cd138279b2d6e199a3f8c..7239d322390f4e9cb23946ecab812aaf288c5c30 100644
--- a/dune/fem-dg/operator/dg/dgpyoperator.hh
+++ b/dune/fem-dg/operator/dg/dgpyoperator.hh
@@ -208,7 +208,18 @@ namespace Fem
     //! return number of interior elements visited by the operator
     inline size_t gridSizeInterior() const
     {
-      return std::max( fullOperator_.numberOfElements(), explOperator_.numberOfElements() );
+      size_t elem = std::max( fullOperator_.numberOfElements(),
+                              explOperator_.numberOfElements() );
+
+      // this can occur if element size if requested
+      // before operator had been applied
+      if( elem == 0 )
+      {
+        const auto end = space_.end();
+        size_t elem = 0;
+        for( auto it = space_.begin(); it != end; ++it, ++elem );
+      }
+      return elem;
     }
 
     //// End Methods from SpaceOperatorInterface /////
diff --git a/dune/fem-dg/operator/dg/primaloperator.hh b/dune/fem-dg/operator/dg/primaloperator.hh
index 1389e668b925d61f1a77be978c166219db781a0e..8946d663ec9b7344b2aab3627f21d1bfc9c47e79 100644
--- a/dune/fem-dg/operator/dg/primaloperator.hh
+++ b/dune/fem-dg/operator/dg/primaloperator.hh
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ namespace Fem
 
     inline size_t numberOfElements () const
     {
-      return pass2_.numberOfElements();
+      return std::max( pass2_.numberOfElements(), limiter_.numberOfElements() );
     }
 
     /*
diff --git a/dune/fem-dg/operator/limiter/limiter.hh b/dune/fem-dg/operator/limiter/limiter.hh
index 0530e7a6184b4ee55eedff90a2dca4d86892984d..804e089f180a37385a0449b78f179f6fae7a2e92 100644
--- a/dune/fem-dg/operator/limiter/limiter.hh
+++ b/dune/fem-dg/operator/limiter/limiter.hh
@@ -182,6 +182,11 @@ namespace Fem
       return limitPass_.computeTimeSteps();
     }
 
+    inline size_t numberOfElements () const
+    {
+      return limitPass_.numberOfElements();
+    }
+
   private:
     Limiter( const Limiter& );
 
diff --git a/dune/fem-dg/operator/limiter/limitpass.hh b/dune/fem-dg/operator/limiter/limitpass.hh
index 409e685ac6f7eda4fd84cadb70002aaf23594ed2..5605e0e8f3b81c43946a7151fd6adfacdd7e8c2e 100644
--- a/dune/fem-dg/operator/limiter/limitpass.hh
+++ b/dune/fem-dg/operator/limiter/limitpass.hh
@@ -684,7 +684,7 @@ namespace Fem
       return tmp;
     }
 
-    size_t leafElements() const
+    size_t numberOfElements() const
     {
       return elementCounter_;
     }
diff --git a/dune/fem-dg/operator/limiter/scalinglimitpass.hh b/dune/fem-dg/operator/limiter/scalinglimitpass.hh
index 2d6d888af803517576806c1e9b780fc10bb3c491..c4d1d8d7934d78c79d388f934c0ae208b5405f13 100644
--- a/dune/fem-dg/operator/limiter/scalinglimitpass.hh
+++ b/dune/fem-dg/operator/limiter/scalinglimitpass.hh
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ namespace Fem
       return tmp;
     }
 
-    size_t leafElements() const
+    size_t numberOfElements() const
     {
       return elementCounter_;
     }
diff --git a/dune/fem-dg/solver/rungekuttasolver.hh b/dune/fem-dg/solver/rungekuttasolver.hh
index 37fc487dad112b1c4373066028e6237374077118..b6261c0216f9f625e5ca31226221904a4dd296f0 100644
--- a/dune/fem-dg/solver/rungekuttasolver.hh
+++ b/dune/fem-dg/solver/rungekuttasolver.hh
@@ -291,7 +291,6 @@ namespace Fem
       // create implicit or explicit ode solver
       if( odeSolverType_ == 0 )
       {
-        std::cout << "Creating explicit ode solver" << std::endl;
         solver = OdeSolversType :: createExplicitSolver( operator_, tp, rkSteps_, *param_, parameter, name_ );
       }
       else if (odeSolverType_ == 1)
@@ -346,7 +345,11 @@ namespace Fem
       else
         tpPtr_->init();
       tpPtr_->init();
-      std::cout << "cfl = " << double(tpPtr_->factor()) << ", T_0 = " << tpPtr_->time() << std::endl;
+
+      if( Dune::Fem::Parameter::verbose() )
+      {
+        std::cout << "cfl = " << double(tpPtr_->factor()) << ", T_0 = " << tpPtr_->time() << std::endl;
+      }
     }
 
     void initialize( const DestinationType& U )