diff --git a/src/external/Nonlocal/PNL_StartupHandler.cpp b/src/external/Nonlocal/PNL_StartupHandler.cpp
index a5b8aa08..f69e7955 100644
--- a/src/external/Nonlocal/PNL_StartupHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/external/Nonlocal/PNL_StartupHandler.cpp
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@
   Author: Andreas Suter
   e-mail: andreas.suter@psi.ch
 
-  $Id$
-
 ***************************************************************************/
 
 /***************************************************************************
@@ -57,7 +55,7 @@ PNL_StartupHandler::PNL_StartupHandler()
 
   // get default path (for the moment only linux like)
   char startup_path_name[512];
-  char *home_str;
+  char *home_str=0;
 
   // check if the startup file is found in the current directory
   strcpy(startup_path_name, "./nonlocal_startup.xml");
@@ -66,7 +64,7 @@ PNL_StartupHandler::PNL_StartupHandler()
     fStartupFilePath = TString(startup_path_name);
   } else { // startup file is not found in the current directory
     cout << endl << "PNL_StartupHandler(): **WARNING** Couldn't find nonlocal_startup.xml in the current directory, will try default one." << endl;
-    home_str = getenv("$HOME");
+    home_str = getenv("HOME");
     snprintf(startup_path_name, sizeof(startup_path_name), "%s/.musrfit/nonlocal_startup.xml", home_str);
     if (StartupFileExists(startup_path_name)) {
       fStartupFileFound = true;
diff --git a/src/external/libPhotoMeissner/classes/Makefile.am b/src/external/libPhotoMeissner/classes/Makefile.am
index 38c8e8df..db00e9ae 100644
--- a/src/external/libPhotoMeissner/classes/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/external/libPhotoMeissner/classes/Makefile.am
@@ -59,3 +59,14 @@ install-exec-hook:
 uninstall-hook:
 	rm -f $(libdir)/libPPhotoMeissner.so
 endif
+
+# define default xml install
+xmldir = $(HOME)/.musrfit/external
+xml_DATA = ../test/photoMeissner_startup.xml
+
+instal-xml_DATA: $(xml_DATA)
+	$(INSTALL_DATA) '$(xml_DATA)' '$(xmldir)' 
+
+uninstal-xml_DATA: $(xml_DATA)
+	$(RM) '$(xml_DATA)' '$(xmldir)' 
+
diff --git a/src/external/libPhotoMeissner/classes/PStartupHandler_PM.cpp b/src/external/libPhotoMeissner/classes/PStartupHandler_PM.cpp
index 30530b29..a0f4d491 100644
--- a/src/external/libPhotoMeissner/classes/PStartupHandler_PM.cpp
+++ b/src/external/libPhotoMeissner/classes/PStartupHandler_PM.cpp
@@ -231,7 +231,8 @@ PStartupHandler_PM::PStartupHandler_PM()
   fStartupFilePath = "";
 
   // get default path (for the moment only linux like)
-  char startup_path_name[128];
+  char startup_path_name[512];
+  char *home_path=0;
 
   // check if the startup file is found in the current directory
   strcpy(startup_path_name, "./photoMeissner_startup.xml");
@@ -240,7 +241,8 @@ PStartupHandler_PM::PStartupHandler_PM()
     fStartupFilePath = TString(startup_path_name);
   } else { // startup file is not found in the current directory
     cout << endl << ">> PStartupHandler_PM(): **WARNING** Couldn't find photoMeissner_startup.xml in the current directory, will try default one." << endl;
-    strncpy(startup_path_name, "/home/nemu/analysis/musrfit/src/external/libPhotoMeissner/test/photoMeissner_startup.xml", sizeof(startup_path_name));
+    home_path = getenv("HOME");
+    snprintf(startup_path_name, sizeof(startup_path_name), "%s/.musrfit/external/photoMeissner_startup.xml", home_path);
     if (StartupFileExists(startup_path_name)) {
       fStartupFileFound = true;
       fStartupFilePath = TString(startup_path_name);