diff --git a/include/picongpu/plugins/openPMD/openPMDWriter.hpp b/include/picongpu/plugins/openPMD/openPMDWriter.hpp
index 4e70403733..2971dac100 100644
--- a/include/picongpu/plugins/openPMD/openPMDWriter.hpp
+++ b/include/picongpu/plugins/openPMD/openPMDWriter.hpp
@@ -399,13 +399,10 @@ make sure that environment variable OPENPMD_BP_BACKEND is not set to ADIOS1.
                 fileExtension = help.fileNameExtension.get(id);
                 fileInfix = help.fileNameInfix.get(id);
                 /* if file name is relative, prepend with common directory */
-                fileName = boost::filesystem::path(file).has_root_path() ? file : dir + "/" + file;
-
+                fileName = file;
                 // avoid deadlock between not finished pmacc tasks and mpi blocking collectives
                 __getTransactionEvent().waitForFinished();
 
-                log<picLog::INPUT_OUTPUT>("openPMD: setting file pattern: %1%%2%.%3%") % fileName % fileInfix
-                    % fileExtension;
 
                 strategyString = help.dataPreparationStrategy.get(id);
                 jsonString = help.jsonConfig.get(id);
@@ -413,6 +410,10 @@ make sure that environment variable OPENPMD_BP_BACKEND is not set to ADIOS1.
             }
             }
 
+            fileName = boost::filesystem::path(file).has_root_path() ? fileName : dir + "/" + fileName;
+            log<picLog::INPUT_OUTPUT>("openPMD: setting file pattern: %1%%2%.%3%") % fileName % fileInfix
+                % fileExtension;
+
             /*
              * Enforce group-based iteration layout for streaming backends
              */
diff --git a/include/picongpu/plugins/openPMD/toml.cpp b/include/picongpu/plugins/openPMD/toml.cpp
index 660d6d4f6a..09f164ef77 100644
--- a/include/picongpu/plugins/openPMD/toml.cpp
+++ b/include/picongpu/plugins/openPMD/toml.cpp
@@ -133,7 +133,35 @@ namespace
         return res;
     }
 
-    Period_t parseTomlFile(std::string const& content, std::string const& file = "unknown file")
+    void parsePluginOptions(picongpu::toml::PluginOptions & options, toml::value tomlConfig)
+    {
+        auto parseOption = [&tomlConfig](std::string& target, std::string const& key) {
+            if(not tomlConfig.contains(key))
+            {
+                return; // leave the default option
+            }
+            try
+            {
+                target = toml::find<std::string>(tomlConfig, key);
+            }
+            catch(toml::type_error const& e)
+            {
+                throw std::runtime_error(
+                    "[openPMD plugin] Global key '" + key + "' must point to a value of string type.");
+            }
+        };
+
+        parseOption( options.fileName, "file" );
+        parseOption( options.fileInfix, "infix" );
+        parseOption( options.fileExtension, "ext" );
+        parseOption( options.jsonConfig, "backend_config" );
+        parseOption( options.dataPreparationStrategy, "data_preparation_strategy" );
+    }
+
+    void parseTomlFile(
+        picongpu::toml::DataSources& dataSources,
+        std::string const& content,
+        std::string const& file = "unknown file")
     {
         auto data = [&content, &file]() {
             std::istringstream istream(content.c_str());
@@ -141,9 +169,8 @@ namespace
         }();
         if(not data.contains("sink"))
         {
-            return {};
+            return;
         }
-        Period_t res;
         auto& sinkTable = [&data]() -> toml::value::table_type const& {
             try
             {
@@ -175,13 +202,17 @@ namespace
                         "[openPMD plugin] Key 'period' in TOML file must be a table (" + std::string(e.what()) + ")");
                 }
             }();
-            mergePeriodTable(res, parseSinglePeriodTable(periodTable));
+            mergePeriodTable(dataSources.m_period, parseSinglePeriodTable(periodTable));
         }
-        return res;
+        parsePluginOptions( dataSources.openPMDPluginOptions, data );
     }
 
     template<typename ChronoDuration>
-    Period_t waitForParseAndMergeTomlFiles(std::string const path, ChronoDuration&& sleepInterval, MPI_Comm comm)
+    void waitForParseAndMergeTomlFiles(
+        picongpu::toml::DataSources& dataSources,
+        std::string const path,
+        ChronoDuration&& sleepInterval,
+        MPI_Comm comm)
     {
         int rank;
         MPI_Comm_rank(comm, &rank);
@@ -206,7 +237,7 @@ namespace
         picongpu::toml::writeLog("openPMD: Reading TOML file collectively");
         std::string fileContents = picongpu::collective_file_read(path, comm);
 
-        return parseTomlFile(fileContents, path);
+        parseTomlFile(dataSources, fileContents, path);
     }
 } // namespace
 
@@ -219,8 +250,8 @@ namespace picongpu
         constexpr std::chrono::seconds const WAIT_TIME = 5s;
 
         DataSources::DataSources(std::string const& tomlFile, MPI_Comm comm)
-            : m_period{waitForParseAndMergeTomlFiles(tomlFile, WAIT_TIME, comm)}
         {
+            waitForParseAndMergeTomlFiles(*this, tomlFile, WAIT_TIME, comm);
             // todo: read from toml files
             // verify that a step will always be available
             m_upcomingSteps[0].reserve(m_period.size());
diff --git a/include/picongpu/plugins/openPMD/toml.hpp b/include/picongpu/plugins/openPMD/toml.hpp
index b5b7deea7b..e58f1476fa 100644
--- a/include/picongpu/plugins/openPMD/toml.hpp
+++ b/include/picongpu/plugins/openPMD/toml.hpp
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@ namespace picongpu
             using Period_t = std::map<SimulationStep_t, std::set<std::string>>;
 
         private:
-            Period_t m_period;
-
             /*
              * For each period p, let s be the upcoming step divisible by p.
              * Then m_nextActiveAt[s] contains p.
@@ -63,6 +61,8 @@ namespace picongpu
             std::map<SimulationStep_t, std::vector<SimulationStep_t>> m_upcomingSteps;
 
         public:
+            Period_t m_period;
+
             PluginOptions openPMDPluginOptions; // @todo read these from TOML
 
             DataSources(std::string const& tomlFile, MPI_Comm);