diff --git a/doc/modules/changes/20250916_gassmoeller b/doc/modules/changes/20250916_gassmoeller
deleted file mode 100644
index f24b737249c..00000000000
--- a/doc/modules/changes/20250916_gassmoeller
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-Fixed: ASPECT used several features that could fail in MPI
-communication in case an assert was triggered. The model
-would end up in a communication deadlock (a model that hangs
-without output) instead of correctly crashing and producing
-an error message. This was fixed.
-<br>
-(Rene Gassmoeller, 2025/09/16)
diff --git a/include/aspect/compat.h b/include/aspect/compat.h
index ead5c2e4cb9..efdbdeebabf 100644
--- a/include/aspect/compat.h
+++ b/include/aspect/compat.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include <deal.II/base/config.h>
 #include <deal.II/base/mpi.h>
+#include <deal.II/base/timer.h>
 
 // C++11 related includes.
 #include <functional>
@@ -444,6 +445,51 @@ namespace aspect
                                const double      outer_radius);
 #endif
 
+
+  /**
+   * A replacement class for TimerOutput::Scope that should avoid
+   * the deadlocking issues we have had for the latter.
+   *
+   * This class is modeled after the pattern used in deal.II's
+   * TimerOutput::Scope class but really just calls TimerOutput::enter_scope()
+   * in the constructor and TimerOutput::leave_scope() in the destructor whereas
+   * TimerOutput::Scope also checks whether there are pending exceptions
+   * in the destructor and only calls leave_scope() if there are not.
+   */
+  class TimerScope
+  {
+    public:
+      /**
+       * Constructor that calls TimerOutput::enter_scope() with the given scope name.
+       */
+      TimerScope(dealii::TimerOutput &timer_,
+                 const std::string   &section_name_)
+        : timer(timer_)
+        , section_name(section_name_)
+      {
+        timer.enter_subsection(section_name);
+      }
+
+      /**
+       * Destructor that calls TimerOutput::leave_scope().
+       */
+      ~TimerScope()
+      {
+        timer.leave_subsection(section_name);
+      }
+
+    private:
+      /**
+       * Reference to the TimerOutput object
+       */
+      dealii::TimerOutput &timer;
+
+      /**
+       * Name of the section we need to exit
+       */
+      const std::string section_name;
+  };
+
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/source/mesh_deformation/fastscape.cc b/source/mesh_deformation/fastscape.cc
index 3ea51b9f10a..bf2e9cf1b89 100644
--- a/source/mesh_deformation/fastscape.cc
+++ b/source/mesh_deformation/fastscape.cc
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ namespace aspect
       if (this->get_timestep_number() == 0)
         return;
 
-      this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("FastScape plugin");
+      TimerScope timer_section(this->get_computing_timer(), "FastScape plugin");
 
       const unsigned int current_timestep = this->get_timestep_number ();
       const double aspect_timestep_in_years = this->get_timestep() / year_in_seconds;
@@ -890,7 +890,8 @@ namespace aspect
       Assert (Utilities::MPI::this_mpi_process(this->get_mpi_communicator()) == 0,
               ExcInternalError());
 
-      this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Execute FastScape");
+
+      TimerScope timer_section(this->get_computing_timer(), "Execute FastScape");
 
       // Because on the first timestep we will create an initial VTK file before running FastScape
       // and a second after, we first set the visualization step to zero.
@@ -1004,8 +1005,6 @@ namespace aspect
 #endif
           }
       }
-
-      this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Execute FastScape");
     }
 
 
diff --git a/source/mesh_deformation/interface.cc b/source/mesh_deformation/interface.cc
index d1da84c7df6..65f3b01ab1d 100644
--- a/source/mesh_deformation/interface.cc
+++ b/source/mesh_deformation/interface.cc
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ namespace aspect
     {
       AssertThrow(sim.parameters.mesh_deformation_enabled, ExcInternalError());
 
-      this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Mesh deformation");
+      TimerScope timer (sim.computing_timer, "Mesh deformation");
 
       old_mesh_displacements = mesh_displacements;
 
@@ -584,8 +584,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
       // After changing the mesh we need to rebuild things
       sim.rebuild_stokes_matrix = sim.rebuild_stokes_preconditioner = true;
-
-      this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Mesh deformation");
     }
 
 
@@ -1560,15 +1558,13 @@ namespace aspect
       if (this->simulator_is_past_initialization() == false ||
           this->get_timestep_number() == 0)
         {
-          this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Mesh deformation initialize");
+          TimerScope timer (sim.computing_timer, "Mesh deformation initialize");
 
           make_initial_constraints();
           if (this->is_stokes_matrix_free())
             compute_mesh_displacements_gmg();
           else
             compute_mesh_displacements();
-
-          this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Mesh deformation initialize");
         }
 
       if (this->is_stokes_matrix_free())
diff --git a/source/particle/manager.cc b/source/particle/manager.cc
index a1824757e20..76e305b3b99 100644
--- a/source/particle/manager.cc
+++ b/source/particle/manager.cc
@@ -131,9 +131,9 @@ namespace aspect
                                          Particles::ParticleHandler<dim> &to_particle_handler) const
     {
       {
-        this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Particles: Copy");
+        TimerScope timer_section(this->get_computing_timer(), "Particles: Copy");
+
         to_particle_handler.copy_from(from_particle_handler);
-        this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Particles: Copy");
       }
     }
 
@@ -829,9 +829,8 @@ namespace aspect
     void
     Manager<dim>::generate_particles()
     {
-      this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Particles: Generate");
+      TimerScope timer_section(this->get_computing_timer(), "Particles: Generate");
       generator->generate_particles(*particle_handler);
-      this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Particles: Generate");
     }
 
 
@@ -843,7 +842,7 @@ namespace aspect
       // TODO: Change this loop over all cells to use the WorkStream interface
       if (property_manager->get_n_property_components() > 0)
         {
-          this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Particles: Initialize properties");
+          TimerScope timer_section(this->get_computing_timer(), "Particles: Initialize properties");
 
           particle_handler->get_property_pool().reserve(2 * particle_handler->n_locally_owned_particles());
 
@@ -854,12 +853,9 @@ namespace aspect
 
           if (dealii::Utilities::MPI::n_mpi_processes(this->get_mpi_communicator()) > 1)
             {
-              this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Particles: Exchange ghosts");
+              TimerScope timer_section(this->get_computing_timer(), "Particles: Exchange ghosts");
               particle_handler->exchange_ghost_particles();
-              this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Particles: Exchange ghosts");
             }
-
-          this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Particles: Initialize properties");
         }
     }
 
@@ -873,7 +869,7 @@ namespace aspect
 
       if (property_manager->get_n_property_components() > 0)
         {
-          this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Particles: Update properties");
+          TimerScope timer_section(this->get_computing_timer(), "Particles: Update properties");
 
           Assert(dealii::internal::FEPointEvaluation::is_fast_path_supported(this->get_mapping()) == true,
                  ExcMessage("The particle system was optimized for deal.II mappings that support the fast evaluation path "
@@ -922,8 +918,6 @@ namespace aspect
                   }
 
               }
-
-          this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Particles: Update properties");
         }
     }
 
@@ -935,7 +929,7 @@ namespace aspect
     {
       {
         // TODO: Change this loop over all cells to use the WorkStream interface
-        this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Particles: Advect");
+        TimerScope timer_section(this->get_computing_timer(), "Particles: Advect");
 
         Assert(dealii::internal::FEPointEvaluation::is_fast_path_supported(this->get_mapping()) == true,
                ExcMessage("The particle system was optimized for deal.II mappings that support the fast evaluation path "
@@ -961,16 +955,12 @@ namespace aspect
                                          *evaluator);
                 }
             }
-
-        this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Particles: Advect");
       }
 
       {
-        this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Particles: Sort");
+        TimerScope timer_section(this->get_computing_timer(), "Particles: Sort");
         // Find the cells that the particles moved to
         particle_handler->sort_particles_into_subdomains_and_cells();
-
-        this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Particles: Sort");
       }
     }
 
@@ -998,9 +988,8 @@ namespace aspect
       // ghost particles.
       if (dealii::Utilities::MPI::n_mpi_processes(this->get_mpi_communicator()) > 1)
         {
-          this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Particles: Exchange ghosts");
+          TimerScope timer_section(this->get_computing_timer(), "Particles: Exchange ghosts");
           particle_handler->exchange_ghost_particles();
-          this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Particles: Exchange ghosts");
         }
       this->get_pcout() << " done." << std::endl;
     }
@@ -1325,7 +1314,7 @@ namespace aspect
           }
 
 
-        this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Particles: Initialization");
+        TimerScope timer_section(this->get_computing_timer(), "Particles: Initialization");
 
         // Create a generator object depending on what the parameters specify
         generator = Generator::create_particle_generator<dim> (prm);
@@ -1359,7 +1348,6 @@ namespace aspect
         interpolator->parse_parameters(prm);
         interpolator->initialize();
 
-        this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Particles: Initialization");
       }
       prm.leave_subsection ();
     }
diff --git a/source/postprocess/current_surface.cc b/source/postprocess/current_surface.cc
index 2e1875f7714..98b6091fed8 100644
--- a/source/postprocess/current_surface.cc
+++ b/source/postprocess/current_surface.cc
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ namespace aspect
       AssertThrow(dim==2,
                   ExcMessage("Depth with mesh deformation currently only works with a 2D model."));
 
-      this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Geometry model surface update");
+      TimerScope timer_section(this->get_computing_timer(), "Geometry model surface update");
 
       // loop over all of the surface cells and save the elevation to a stored value.
       // This needs to be sent to 1 processor, sorted, and broadcast so that every processor knows the entire surface.
@@ -129,8 +129,6 @@ namespace aspect
       // Create a surface function for the elevations.
       surface_function = std::make_unique<Functions::InterpolatedTensorProductGridData<dim-1>>(coordinates, data_table);
 
-      this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Geometry model surface update");
-
       return std::make_pair ("Storing deformed surface topography: ",
                              "Done");
     }
diff --git a/source/simulator/assembly.cc b/source/simulator/assembly.cc
index ec0199a692a..c8b723d54b4 100644
--- a/source/simulator/assembly.cc
+++ b/source/simulator/assembly.cc
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ namespace aspect
     else
       AssertThrow(false, ExcNotImplemented());
 
-    computing_timer.enter_subsection("Build Stokes preconditioner");
+    TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Build Stokes preconditioner");
     pcout << "   Rebuilding Stokes preconditioner..." << std::flush;
 
     // first assemble the raw matrices necessary for the preconditioner
@@ -588,8 +588,6 @@ namespace aspect
     rebuild_stokes_preconditioner = false;
 
     pcout << std::endl;
-
-    computing_timer.leave_subsection("Build Stokes preconditioner");
   }
 
 
@@ -772,7 +770,8 @@ namespace aspect
         timer_section_name += " rhs";
       }
 
-    computing_timer.enter_subsection(timer_section_name);
+    TimerScope timer (computing_timer,
+                      timer_section_name);
 
     if (rebuild_stokes_matrix == true)
       system_matrix = 0;
@@ -892,8 +891,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
     // record that we have just rebuilt the matrix
     rebuild_stokes_matrix = false;
-
-    computing_timer.leave_subsection(timer_section_name);
   }
 
 
@@ -904,9 +901,9 @@ namespace aspect
                                                  LinearAlgebra::PreconditionILU &preconditioner,
                                                  const double diagonal_strengthening)
   {
-    computing_timer.enter_subsection(advection_field.is_temperature() ?
-                                     "Build temperature preconditioner" :
-                                     "Build composition preconditioner");
+    TimerScope timer (computing_timer, (advection_field.is_temperature() ?
+                                        "Build temperature preconditioner" :
+                                        "Build composition preconditioner"));
 
     const unsigned int block_idx = advection_field.block_index(introspection);
 
@@ -915,10 +912,6 @@ namespace aspect
     data.ilu_atol = diagonal_strengthening;
 
     preconditioner.initialize (system_matrix.block(block_idx, block_idx), data);
-
-    computing_timer.leave_subsection(advection_field.is_temperature() ?
-                                     "Build temperature preconditioner" :
-                                     "Build composition preconditioner");
   }
 
 
@@ -1222,9 +1215,9 @@ namespace aspect
   template <int dim>
   void Simulator<dim>::assemble_advection_system (const AdvectionField &advection_field)
   {
-    computing_timer.enter_subsection(advection_field.is_temperature() ?
-                                     "Assemble temperature system" :
-                                     "Assemble composition system");
+    TimerScope timer (computing_timer, (advection_field.is_temperature() ?
+                                        "Assemble temperature system" :
+                                        "Assemble composition system"));
 
     const unsigned int block_idx = advection_field.block_index(introspection);
     const unsigned int sparsity_block_idx = advection_field.sparsity_pattern_block_index(introspection);
@@ -1331,10 +1324,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
     system_matrix.compress(VectorOperation::add);
     system_rhs.compress(VectorOperation::add);
-
-    computing_timer.leave_subsection(advection_field.is_temperature() ?
-                                     "Assemble temperature system" :
-                                     "Assemble composition system");
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/source/simulator/checkpoint_restart.cc b/source/simulator/checkpoint_restart.cc
index 82150ec7974..b6635a368d8 100644
--- a/source/simulator/checkpoint_restart.cc
+++ b/source/simulator/checkpoint_restart.cc
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ namespace aspect
   template <int dim>
   void Simulator<dim>::create_snapshot()
   {
-    computing_timer.enter_subsection("Create snapshot");
+    TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Create snapshot");
 
     // Take elapsed time from timer so that we can serialize it:
     total_walltime_until_last_snapshot += wall_timer.wall_time();
@@ -387,8 +387,6 @@ namespace aspect
       }
 
     pcout << "*** Snapshot " << checkpoint_path << " created!" << std::endl << std::endl;
-
-    computing_timer.leave_subsection("Create snapshot");
   }
 
 
diff --git a/source/simulator/core.cc b/source/simulator/core.cc
index 15a42e05329..163ecbacbee 100644
--- a/source/simulator/core.cc
+++ b/source/simulator/core.cc
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ namespace aspect
       }
 
     // now that we have output set up, we can start timer sections
-    computing_timer.enter_subsection("Initialization");
+    TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Initialization");
 
 
     // if any plugin wants access to the Simulator by deriving from SimulatorAccess, initialize it and
@@ -590,8 +590,6 @@ namespace aspect
     // now that all member variables have been set up, also
     // connect the functions that will actually do the assembly
     set_assemblers();
-
-    computing_timer.leave_subsection("Initialization");
   }
 
 
@@ -657,14 +655,12 @@ namespace aspect
     // constraints. Of course we need to force assembly too.
     if (rebuild_sparsity_and_matrices)
       {
-        computing_timer.enter_subsection("Setup matrices");
+        TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Setup matrices");
 
         rebuild_sparsity_and_matrices = false;
         setup_system_matrix (introspection.index_sets.system_partitioning);
         setup_system_preconditioner (introspection.index_sets.system_partitioning);
         rebuild_stokes_matrix = rebuild_stokes_preconditioner = true;
-
-        computing_timer.leave_subsection("Setup matrices");
       }
 
     // notify different system components that we started the next time step
@@ -1472,7 +1468,7 @@ namespace aspect
   {
     signals.edit_parameters_pre_setup_dofs(*this, parameters);
 
-    computing_timer.enter_subsection("Setup dof systems");
+    TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Setup dof systems");
 
     dof_handler.distribute_dofs(finite_element);
 
@@ -1581,8 +1577,6 @@ namespace aspect
     // Setup matrix-free dofs
     if (stokes_matrix_free)
       stokes_matrix_free->setup_dofs();
-
-    computing_timer.leave_subsection("Setup dof systems");
   }
 
 
@@ -1655,7 +1649,7 @@ namespace aspect
   void
   Simulator<dim>::postprocess ()
   {
-    computing_timer.enter_subsection("Postprocessing");
+    TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Postprocessing");
     pcout << "   Postprocessing:" << std::endl;
 
     // run all the postprocessing routines and then write
@@ -1689,8 +1683,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
     // finally, write the entire set of current results to disk
     output_statistics();
-
-    computing_timer.leave_subsection("Postprocessing");
   }
 
 
@@ -1715,7 +1707,7 @@ namespace aspect
 
 
     {
-      computing_timer.enter_subsection("Refine mesh structure, part 1");
+      TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Refine mesh structure, part 1");
 
       Vector<float> estimated_error_per_cell (triangulation.n_active_cells());
       mesh_refinement_manager.execute (estimated_error_per_cell);
@@ -1815,7 +1807,6 @@ namespace aspect
       if (!mesh_changed)
         {
           pcout << "Skipping mesh refinement, because the mesh did not change.\n" << std::endl;
-          computing_timer.leave_subsection("Refine mesh structure, part 1");
           return;
         }
 
@@ -1827,14 +1818,12 @@ namespace aspect
       triangulation.execute_coarsening_and_refinement ();
       if (MappingQCache<dim> *map = dynamic_cast<MappingQCache<dim>*>(&(*mapping)))
         map->initialize(MappingQGeneric<dim>(4), triangulation);
-
-      computing_timer.leave_subsection("Refine mesh structure, part 1");
     } // leave the timed section
 
     setup_dofs ();
 
     {
-      computing_timer.enter_subsection("Refine mesh structure, part 2");
+      TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Refine mesh structure, part 2");
 
       LinearAlgebra::BlockVector distributed_system;
       LinearAlgebra::BlockVector old_distributed_system;
@@ -1919,8 +1908,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
       // calculate global volume after refining mesh
       global_volume = GridTools::volume (triangulation, *mapping);
-
-      computing_timer.leave_subsection("Refine mesh structure, part 2");
     }
   }
 
@@ -2193,7 +2180,7 @@ namespace aspect
 
     if (parameters.resume_computation == false)
       {
-        computing_timer.enter_subsection("Setup initial conditions");
+        TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Setup initial conditions");
 
         timestep_number           = 0;
         time_step = old_time_step = 0;
@@ -2212,8 +2199,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
             signals.post_set_initial_state (*this);
           }
-
-        computing_timer.leave_subsection("Setup initial conditions");
       }
 
     // Start the principal loop over time steps. At this point, everything
diff --git a/source/simulator/helper_functions.cc b/source/simulator/helper_functions.cc
index 67bec4ae0b6..0b8e6cae405 100644
--- a/source/simulator/helper_functions.cc
+++ b/source/simulator/helper_functions.cc
@@ -1607,7 +1607,7 @@ namespace aspect
     if (time_step == 0)
       return;
 
-    computing_timer.enter_subsection("Solve composition reactions");
+    TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Solve composition reactions");
 
     // we need some temporary vectors to store our updates to composition and temperature in
     // while we do the time stepping, before we copy them over to the solution vector in the end
@@ -1914,8 +1914,6 @@ namespace aspect
           << average_iteration_count
           << " substep(s)."
           << std::endl;
-
-    computing_timer.leave_subsection("Solve composition reactions");
   }
 
 
diff --git a/source/simulator/initial_conditions.cc b/source/simulator/initial_conditions.cc
index 25e9bf6f577..56028456892 100644
--- a/source/simulator/initial_conditions.cc
+++ b/source/simulator/initial_conditions.cc
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ namespace aspect
   template <int dim>
   void Simulator<dim>::interpolate_particle_properties (const std::vector<AdvectionField> &advection_fields)
   {
-    computing_timer.enter_subsection("Particles: Interpolate");
+    TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Particles: Interpolate");
 
     // below, we would want to call VectorTools::interpolate on the
     // entire FESystem. there currently is no way to restrict the
@@ -473,7 +473,6 @@ namespace aspect
         Assert (particle_solution.block(b).l2_norm() == 0,
                 ExcInternalError());
 
-    computing_timer.leave_subsection("Particles: Interpolate");
   }
 
 
diff --git a/source/simulator/solver.cc b/source/simulator/solver.cc
index ceba95be9b1..3d96409221d 100644
--- a/source/simulator/solver.cc
+++ b/source/simulator/solver.cc
@@ -444,10 +444,9 @@ namespace aspect
     // first build without diagonal strengthening:
     build_advection_preconditioner(advection_field, preconditioner, 0.);
 
-    computing_timer.enter_subsection(advection_field.is_temperature() ?
-                                     "Solve temperature system" :
-                                     "Solve composition system");
-
+    TimerScope timer (computing_timer, (advection_field.is_temperature() ?
+                                        "Solve temperature system" :
+                                        "Solve composition system"));
     if (advection_field.is_temperature())
       {
         pcout << "   Solving temperature system... " << std::flush;
@@ -549,11 +548,6 @@ namespace aspect
          )))
       {
         apply_limiter_to_dg_solutions(advection_field);
-
-        computing_timer.leave_subsection(advection_field.is_temperature() ?
-                                         "Solve temperature system" :
-                                         "Solve composition system");
-
         // by applying the limiter we have modified the solution to no longer
         // satisfy the equation. Therefore the residual is meaningless and cannot
         // converge to zero in nonlinear iterations. Disable residual computation
@@ -561,10 +555,6 @@ namespace aspect
         return 0.0;
       }
 
-    computing_timer.leave_subsection(advection_field.is_temperature() ?
-                                     "Solve temperature system" :
-                                     "Solve composition system");
-
     return initial_residual;
   }
 
@@ -574,7 +564,7 @@ namespace aspect
   std::pair<double,double>
   Simulator<dim>::solve_stokes (LinearAlgebra::BlockVector &solution_vector)
   {
-    computing_timer.enter_subsection("Solve Stokes system");
+    TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Solve Stokes system");
 
     const std::string name = [&]() -> std::string
     {
@@ -951,8 +941,6 @@ namespace aspect
     if (parameters.include_melt_transport)
       melt_handler->compute_melt_variables(system_matrix,solution_vector,system_rhs);
 
-    computing_timer.leave_subsection("Solve Stokes system");
-
     return {outputs.initial_nonlinear_residual,
             outputs.final_linear_residual
            };
diff --git a/source/simulator/solver/stokes_matrix_free_local_smoothing.cc b/source/simulator/solver/stokes_matrix_free_local_smoothing.cc
index 9df74f2001b..c806921b5a7 100644
--- a/source/simulator/solver/stokes_matrix_free_local_smoothing.cc
+++ b/source/simulator/solver/stokes_matrix_free_local_smoothing.cc
@@ -1984,15 +1984,13 @@ namespace aspect
   template <int dim, int velocity_degree>
   void StokesMatrixFreeHandlerLocalSmoothingImplementation<dim, velocity_degree>::build_preconditioner()
   {
-    this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Build Stokes preconditioner");
+    TimerScope timer (this->get_computing_timer(), "Build Stokes preconditioner");
 
     for (unsigned int level=0; level < this->get_triangulation().n_global_levels(); ++level)
       {
         mg_matrices_Schur_complement[level].compute_diagonal();
         mg_matrices_A_block[level].compute_diagonal();
       }
-
-    this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Build Stokes preconditioner");
   }
 
 
diff --git a/source/simulator/solver_schemes.cc b/source/simulator/solver_schemes.cc
index e86aa22216d..715ba840e9f 100644
--- a/source/simulator/solver_schemes.cc
+++ b/source/simulator/solver_schemes.cc
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ namespace aspect
           // outputs into the prescribed field before we assemble and solve the equation
           if (parameters.temperature_method == Parameters<dim>::AdvectionFieldMethod::prescribed_field_with_diffusion)
             {
-              computing_timer.enter_subsection("Interpolate prescribed temperature");
+              TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Interpolate prescribed temperature");
 
               interpolate_material_output_into_advection_field({adv_field});
 
@@ -162,8 +162,6 @@ namespace aspect
               // solution is the one that is used to assemble the diffusion system in
               // assemble_advection_system() for this solver scheme.
               old_solution.block(adv_field.block_index(introspection)) = solution.block(adv_field.block_index(introspection));
-
-              computing_timer.leave_subsection("Interpolate prescribed temperature");
             }
 
           assemble_advection_system (adv_field);
@@ -179,7 +177,7 @@ namespace aspect
         {
           const AdvectionField adv_field (AdvectionField::temperature());
 
-          computing_timer.enter_subsection("Interpolate prescribed temperature");
+          TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Interpolate prescribed temperature");
 
           interpolate_material_output_into_advection_field({adv_field});
 
@@ -190,8 +188,6 @@ namespace aspect
                                         adv_field.compositional_variable,
                                         dummy);
 
-          computing_timer.leave_subsection("Interpolate prescribed temperature");
-
           break;
         }
 
@@ -277,7 +273,7 @@ namespace aspect
               // outputs into the prescribed field before we assemble and solve the equation
               if (method == Parameters<dim>::AdvectionFieldMethod::prescribed_field_with_diffusion)
                 {
-                  computing_timer.enter_subsection("Interpolate prescribed composition");
+                  TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Interpolate prescribed composition");
 
                   interpolate_material_output_into_advection_field({adv_field});
 
@@ -285,8 +281,6 @@ namespace aspect
                   // solution is the one that is used to assemble the diffusion system in
                   // assemble_advection_system() for this solver scheme.
                   old_solution.block(adv_field.block_index(introspection)) = solution.block(adv_field.block_index(introspection));
-
-                  computing_timer.leave_subsection("Interpolate prescribed composition");
                 }
 
               assemble_advection_system (adv_field);
@@ -379,7 +373,7 @@ namespace aspect
 
     if (fields_interpolated_from_material_output.size() > 0)
       {
-        computing_timer.enter_subsection("Interpolate prescribed composition");
+        TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Interpolate prescribed composition");
 
         interpolate_material_output_into_advection_field(fields_interpolated_from_material_output);
 
@@ -392,8 +386,6 @@ namespace aspect
                                           adv_field.compositional_variable,
                                           dummy);
           }
-
-        computing_timer.leave_subsection("Interpolate prescribed composition");
       }
 
     if (fields_advected_by_particles.size() > 0)
@@ -954,7 +946,7 @@ namespace aspect
     assemble_and_solve_composition();
 
     {
-      computing_timer.enter_subsection("Interpolate Stokes solution");
+      TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Interpolate Stokes solution");
 
       // Assign Stokes solution
       LinearAlgebra::BlockVector distributed_stokes_solution (introspection.index_sets.system_partitioning, mpi_communicator);
@@ -986,7 +978,6 @@ namespace aspect
           solution.block(block_p_f) = distributed_stokes_solution.block(block_p_f);
         }
 
-      computing_timer.leave_subsection("Interpolate Stokes solution");
     }
 
     if (parameters.run_postprocessors_on_nonlinear_iterations)
@@ -1236,7 +1227,7 @@ namespace aspect
 
     // Assign Stokes solution
     {
-      TimerOutput::Scope timer (computing_timer, "Interpolate Stokes solution");
+      TimerScope timer (computing_timer, "Interpolate Stokes solution");
 
       LinearAlgebra::BlockVector distributed_stokes_solution (introspection.index_sets.system_partitioning, mpi_communicator);
 
diff --git a/source/volume_of_fluid/handler.cc b/source/volume_of_fluid/handler.cc
index 06b34bb7886..3895e76231f 100644
--- a/source/volume_of_fluid/handler.cc
+++ b/source/volume_of_fluid/handler.cc
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ namespace aspect
                                                                    const unsigned int dir,
                                                                    const bool update_from_old)
   {
-    this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Assemble volume of fluid system");
+    TimerScope timer (sim.computing_timer, "Assemble volume of fluid system");
 
     const unsigned int block0_idx = field_struct_for_field_index(0).volume_fraction.block_index;
     const unsigned int block_idx = field.volume_fraction.block_index;
@@ -597,8 +597,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
     sim.system_matrix.compress(VectorOperation::add);
     sim.system_rhs.compress(VectorOperation::add);
-
-    this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Assemble volume of fluid system");
   }
 
 
diff --git a/source/volume_of_fluid/reconstruct.cc b/source/volume_of_fluid/reconstruct.cc
index 2e11dc882b5..ecca602214f 100644
--- a/source/volume_of_fluid/reconstruct.cc
+++ b/source/volume_of_fluid/reconstruct.cc
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace aspect
 
     LinearAlgebra::BlockVector initial_solution;
 
-    this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Reconstruct VolumeOfFluid interfaces");
+    TimerScope timer (sim.computing_timer, "Reconstruct VolumeOfFluid interfaces");
 
     initial_solution.reinit(sim.system_rhs, false);
 
@@ -413,8 +413,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
     solution.block(volume_of_fluidN_blockidx) = initial_solution.block(volume_of_fluidN_blockidx);
     solution.block(volume_of_fluidLS_blockidx) = initial_solution.block(volume_of_fluidLS_blockidx);
-
-    this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Reconstruct VolumeOfFluid interfaces");
   }
 
 
@@ -434,7 +432,7 @@ namespace aspect
 
     LinearAlgebra::BlockVector initial_solution;
 
-    this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Compute VolumeOfFluid compositions");
+    TimerScope timer (sim.computing_timer, "Compute VolumeOfFluid compositions");
 
     initial_solution.reinit(sim.system_rhs, false);
 
@@ -505,8 +503,6 @@ namespace aspect
 
     const unsigned int blockidx = composition_field.block_index(this->introspection());
     solution.block(blockidx) = initial_solution.block(blockidx);
-
-    this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Compute VolumeOfFluid compositions");
   }
 
 
diff --git a/source/volume_of_fluid/solver.cc b/source/volume_of_fluid/solver.cc
index 45e8b4d8054..9cdb4158f6c 100644
--- a/source/volume_of_fluid/solver.cc
+++ b/source/volume_of_fluid/solver.cc
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ namespace aspect
   {
     const unsigned int block_idx = field.volume_fraction.block_index;
 
-    this->get_computing_timer().enter_subsection("Solve volume of fluid system");
+    TimerScope timer (sim.computing_timer, "Solve volume of fluid system");
     this->get_pcout() << "   Solving volume of fluid system... " << std::flush;
 
     const double tolerance = std::max(1e-50,
@@ -91,8 +91,6 @@ namespace aspect
     // Do not add VolumeOfFluid solver iterations to statistics, duplication due to
     // dimensional splitting results in incorrect line formatting (lines of
     // data split inconsistently with missing values)
-
-    this->get_computing_timer().leave_subsection("Solve volume of fluid system");
   }
 }