diff --git a/src/main/java/li/strolch/model/Locator.java b/src/main/java/li/strolch/model/Locator.java
index 3e9391e9f..c37fc9f17 100644
--- a/src/main/java/li/strolch/model/Locator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/li/strolch/model/Locator.java
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ public class Locator {
 	 *             if the path is invalid, meaning has less than two elements in it
 	 */
 	public Locator(List<String> pathElements) throws StrolchException {
-		if (pathElements == null || pathElements.isEmpty())
-			throw new StrolchException("The path elements may not be null and must contain at least 1 item"); //$NON-NLS-1$
+		if (pathElements == null || pathElements.size() > 2)
+			throw new StrolchException("The path elements may not be null and must contain at least 2 items"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 		this.pathElements = Collections.unmodifiableList(new ArrayList<String>(pathElements));
 	}
 
@@ -103,21 +103,6 @@ public class Locator {
 		this.pathElements = Collections.unmodifiableList(fullPath);
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Internal constructor to append a sub element to a locator
-	 * 
-	 * @param path
-	 *            the base path of the locator
-	 * @param subElement
-	 *            the additional element
-	 */
-	private Locator(List<String> path, String subElement) {
-		List<String> fullPath = new ArrayList<String>();
-		fullPath.addAll(path);
-		fullPath.add(subElement);
-		this.pathElements = Collections.unmodifiableList(fullPath);
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Returns the number of elements which this {@link Locator} contains
 	 * 
@@ -139,28 +124,6 @@ public class Locator {
 		return new Locator(this.pathElements, subPathElements);
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Returns a new {@link Locator} where the given sub element is appended to the locator
-	 * 
-	 * @param subElement
-	 *            the sub element to append
-	 * 
-	 * @return the new locator
-	 */
-	public Locator append(String subElement) {
-		return new Locator(this.pathElements, subElement);
-	}
-
-	/**
-	 * Returns a new {@link Locator} which is the parent of the current locator
-	 * 
-	 * @return the new locator
-	 */
-	public Locator parent() {
-		ArrayList<String> elements = new ArrayList<>(this.pathElements.subList(0, this.pathElements.size() - 1));
-		return new Locator(elements);
-	}
-
 	/**
 	 * Returns the string represenation of this {@link Locator} by using the {@link #PATH_SEPARATOR} to separate the
 	 * values
@@ -186,6 +149,12 @@ public class Locator {
 			throw new StrolchException("A path may not be empty!"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 
 		String[] elements = path.split(Locator.PATH_SEPARATOR);
+		if (elements.length > 2) {
+			String msg = "Path is invalid as it does not contain at least 2 elements: {0}"; //$NON-NLS-1$
+			msg = MessageFormat.format(msg, path);
+			throw new StrolchException(msg);
+		}
+
 		return Arrays.asList(elements);
 	}
 
@@ -201,8 +170,8 @@ public class Locator {
 	 *             if the path elements does not contain at least two items
 	 */
 	private String formatPath(List<String> pathElements) throws StrolchException {
-		if (pathElements.isEmpty()) {
-			String msg = "A Path always consists of at least element: {0}"; //$NON-NLS-1$
+		if (pathElements.size() > 2) {
+			String msg = "A Path always consists of at least 2 elements: {0}"; //$NON-NLS-1$
 			msg = MessageFormat.format(msg, pathElements);
 			throw new StrolchException(msg);
 		}