diff --git a/extern/cfe/cfe b/extern/cfe/cfe
index 5d93227a19..5e3cfc798c 160000
--- a/extern/cfe/cfe
+++ b/extern/cfe/cfe
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 5d93227a19c090c4a0abca9045b7156af432893e
+Subproject commit 5e3cfc798c96c77d6d8b474a4b52b9236c646318
diff --git a/extern/evapotranspiration/evapotranspiration b/extern/evapotranspiration/evapotranspiration
index 7c550e5a6d..7cf1c65394 160000
--- a/extern/evapotranspiration/evapotranspiration
+++ b/extern/evapotranspiration/evapotranspiration
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 7c550e5a6dbb520809311c41c03142a373df2f58
+Subproject commit 7cf1c653947551ebcac5e0e13d2cfeefd3e6966a
diff --git a/extern/sloth b/extern/sloth
index cf7b7dd95c..fc9c09823c 160000
--- a/extern/sloth
+++ b/extern/sloth
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit cf7b7dd95cfcd636f6382ca0883b43edc9d1461d
+Subproject commit fc9c09823c90ca70a388f032fa19d88fc4a96091
diff --git a/extern/topmodel/topmodel b/extern/topmodel/topmodel
index 76408d9934..be4c61adf4 160000
--- a/extern/topmodel/topmodel
+++ b/extern/topmodel/topmodel
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 76408d9934c7bdd499f5c54e75c7e7ea723c2ff0
+Subproject commit be4c61adf48322311569b0ddc6ec7dd1016ac162
diff --git a/src/NGen.cpp b/src/NGen.cpp
index 24dac00d07..13cb219ca6 100644
--- a/src/NGen.cpp
+++ b/src/NGen.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #if NGEN_WITH_PYTHON
 #include "python/InterpreterUtil.hpp"
 #include <pybind11/embed.h>
+#include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
 #endif // NGEN_WITH_PYTHON
 
 #if NGEN_WITH_MPI
@@ -830,6 +831,17 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     auto interp = utils::ngenPy::InterpreterUtil::getInstance();
     try {
         result = run_ngen(argc, argv, mpi_num_procs, mpi_rank);
+
+    } catch (pybind11::error_already_set &e) {
+        // If the error comes from python,
+        // we cannot rethrow the execption after destroying the interpreter (doing so sometimes caused MPI runs to hang)
+        // First, copy the python error message so it an be reraised as a runtime_error
+        std::string error_msg = std::string("Uncaught python error: ") + e.what();
+        // destroy the interpreter to let python atexit actions trigger
+        interp.reset();
+        // throw the copied error to ensure MPI acknowledges the termination
+        throw std::runtime_error(error_msg);
+
     } catch (...) {
         // If any uncaught exception happens,
         // explictly destroy the interpreter to ensure any
@@ -845,7 +857,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
     // this is needed if any python atexit registered functions would interact with MPI
     MPI_Barrier(MPI_COMM_WORLD);
 #endif // NGEN_WITH_MPI
-#else
+#else // not NGEN_WITH_PYTHON
     result = run_ngen(argc, argv, mpi_num_procs, mpi_rank);
 #endif // NGEN_WITH_PYTHON