diff --git a/src/main/java/org/eclipse/basyx/submodel/restapi/SubmodelAPIHelper.java b/src/main/java/org/eclipse/basyx/submodel/restapi/SubmodelAPIHelper.java
index 104fd311..a21878cf 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/eclipse/basyx/submodel/restapi/SubmodelAPIHelper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/eclipse/basyx/submodel/restapi/SubmodelAPIHelper.java
@@ -49,16 +49,28 @@ public static String getSubmodelElementPath(String idShortPath) {
 	}
 	
 	/**
-	 * Retrieves access path for invocation of element's operation
+	 * Retrieves access path for async invocation of element's operation
+	 * 
 	 * @param idShortPath
 	 * @return
 	 */
-	public static String getSubmodelElementInvokePath(String idShortPath) {
+	public static String getSubmodelElementAsyncInvokePath(String idShortPath) {
 		return VABPathTools.concatenatePaths(getSubmodelElementPath(idShortPath), Operation.INVOKE + OperationProvider.ASYNC);
 	}
 	
+	/**
+	 * Retrieves access path for synchroenous invocation of element's operation
+	 * 
+	 * @param idShortPath
+	 * @return
+	 */
+	public static String getSubmodelElementSyncInvokePath(String idShortPath) {
+		return VABPathTools.concatenatePaths(getSubmodelElementPath(idShortPath), Operation.INVOKE);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Retrieves access path for element value
+	 * 
 	 * @param idShortPath
 	 * @return
 	 */
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/eclipse/basyx/submodel/restapi/SubmodelProvider.java b/src/main/java/org/eclipse/basyx/submodel/restapi/SubmodelProvider.java
index ee8cc0ba..6531b8f6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/eclipse/basyx/submodel/restapi/SubmodelProvider.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/eclipse/basyx/submodel/restapi/SubmodelProvider.java
@@ -247,23 +247,39 @@ public void deleteValue(String path, Object obj) throws ProviderException {
 
 	@Override
 	public Object invokeOperation(String path, Object... parameters) throws ProviderException {
-		path = removeSubmodelPrefix(path);
-		if (path.isEmpty()) {
+		String pathWithoutSubmodelPrefix = removeSubmodelPrefix(path);
+		if (pathWithoutSubmodelPrefix.isEmpty()) {
 			throw new MalformedRequestException("Given path must not be empty");
+		}
+
+		if (!VABPathTools.isOperationInvokationPath(pathWithoutSubmodelPrefix)) {
+			throw new MalformedRequestException("Given path '" + path + "' does not end in /" + Operation.INVOKE);
+		}
+		
+		String pathWithoutSMElementPrefix = removeSMElementPrefix(pathWithoutSubmodelPrefix);
+
+		if (isAsyncInvokePath(pathWithoutSMElementPrefix)) {
+			return invokeAsync(pathWithoutSMElementPrefix, parameters);
 		} else {
-			if (VABPathTools.isOperationInvokationPath(path)) {
-				if(path.endsWith(OperationProvider.ASYNC)) {
-					path = removeSMElementPrefix(path);
-					path = path.replaceFirst(Pattern.quote(Operation.INVOKE + OperationProvider.ASYNC), "");
-					return submodelAPI.invokeAsync(path, parameters);
-				} else {
-					path = removeSMElementPrefix(path);
-					return submodelAPI.invokeOperation(path, parameters);
-				}
-			} else {
-				throw new MalformedRequestException("Given path '" + path + "' does not end in /" + Operation.INVOKE);
-			}
+			return invokeSync(pathWithoutSMElementPrefix, parameters);
 		}
+
+	}
+
+	private Object invokeSync(String path, Object... parameters) {
+		String pathWithoutInvoke = path.replaceFirst(Pattern.quote(Operation.INVOKE), "");
+		String strippedPathWithoutInvoke = VABPathTools.stripSlashes(pathWithoutInvoke);
+		return submodelAPI.invokeOperation(strippedPathWithoutInvoke, parameters);
+	}
+
+	private Object invokeAsync(String path, Object... parameters) {
+		String pathWithoutAsyncInvoke = path.replaceFirst(Pattern.quote(Operation.INVOKE + OperationProvider.ASYNC), "");
+		String strippedPathWithoutAsyncInvoke = VABPathTools.stripSlashes(pathWithoutAsyncInvoke);
+		return submodelAPI.invokeAsync(strippedPathWithoutAsyncInvoke, parameters);
+	}
+
+	private boolean isAsyncInvokePath(String path) {
+		return path.endsWith(OperationProvider.ASYNC);
 	}
 
 	public ISubmodelAPI getAPI() {
@@ -275,6 +291,6 @@ protected void setAPI(ISubmodelAPI api) {
 	}
 	
 	private String removeSMElementPrefix(String path) {
-		return  path.replaceFirst(MultiSubmodelElementProvider.ELEMENTS, "");
+		return path.replaceFirst(MultiSubmodelElementProvider.ELEMENTS, "");
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/eclipse/basyx/submodel/restapi/vab/VABSubmodelAPI.java b/src/main/java/org/eclipse/basyx/submodel/restapi/vab/VABSubmodelAPI.java
index 96a61479..ae71080e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/eclipse/basyx/submodel/restapi/vab/VABSubmodelAPI.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/eclipse/basyx/submodel/restapi/vab/VABSubmodelAPI.java
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
 import org.eclipse.basyx.submodel.metamodel.map.Submodel;
 import org.eclipse.basyx.submodel.metamodel.map.submodelelement.SubmodelElement;
 import org.eclipse.basyx.submodel.restapi.MultiSubmodelElementProvider;
-import org.eclipse.basyx.submodel.restapi.api.ISubmodelAPI;
 import org.eclipse.basyx.submodel.restapi.SubmodelAPIHelper;
+import org.eclipse.basyx.submodel.restapi.api.ISubmodelAPI;
 import org.eclipse.basyx.vab.modelprovider.VABElementProxy;
 import org.eclipse.basyx.vab.modelprovider.api.IModelProvider;
 
@@ -119,13 +119,13 @@ public ISubmodelElement getSubmodelElement(String idShortPath) {
 
 	@Override
 	public Object invokeOperation(String idShortPath, Object... params) {
-		return getElementProvider().invokeOperation(SubmodelAPIHelper.getSubmodelElementPath(idShortPath), params);
+		return getElementProvider().invokeOperation(SubmodelAPIHelper.getSubmodelElementSyncInvokePath(idShortPath), params);
 	}
 	
 	
 	@Override
 	public Object invokeAsync(String idShortPath, Object... params) {
-		return getElementProvider().invokeOperation(SubmodelAPIHelper.getSubmodelElementInvokePath(idShortPath), params);
+		return getElementProvider().invokeOperation(SubmodelAPIHelper.getSubmodelElementAsyncInvokePath(idShortPath), params);
 	}
 	
 	@Override