diff --git a/nomenclature/processor/data_validator.py b/nomenclature/processor/data_validator.py
index c4c5bdf7..ee2baab3 100644
--- a/nomenclature/processor/data_validator.py
+++ b/nomenclature/processor/data_validator.py
@@ -4,10 +4,16 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import yaml
-from pandas import concat
 from pyam import IamDataFrame
 from pyam.logging import adjust_log_level
-from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, computed_field, field_validator, model_validator, Field
+from pydantic import (
+    BaseModel,
+    ConfigDict,
+    computed_field,
+    field_validator,
+    model_validator,
+    Field,
+)
 
 from nomenclature.definition import DataStructureDefinition
 from nomenclature.error import ErrorCollector
@@ -158,6 +164,8 @@ def filter_args(self):
             exclude_none=True, exclude_unset=True, exclude=["validation"]
         )
 
+    def __str__(self):
+        return ", ".join([f"{key}: {value}" for key, value in self.filter_args.items()])
 
 class DataValidator(Processor):
     """Processor for validating IAMC datapoints"""
@@ -173,12 +181,16 @@ def from_file(cls, file: Path | str) -> "DataValidator":
         for item in content:
             # handling of simple case where filter and criteria args are given at the same level
             if "validation" not in item:
-                filter_args = {k: item[k] for k in item if k in IamcDataFilter.model_fields}
-                criteria_args = [{
-                    k: item[k]
-                    for k in item
-                    if k not in IamcDataFilter.model_fields and k != "validation"
-                }]
+                filter_args = {
+                    k: item[k] for k in item if k in IamcDataFilter.model_fields
+                }
+                criteria_args = [
+                    {
+                        k: item[k]
+                        for k in item
+                        if k not in IamcDataFilter.model_fields and k != "validation"
+                    }
+                ]
                 item = dict(**filter_args, validation=criteria_args)
             criteria_items.append(item)
         return cls(file=file, criteria_items=criteria_items)  # type: ignore
@@ -189,23 +201,21 @@ def apply(self, df: IamDataFrame) -> IamDataFrame:
 
         with adjust_log_level():
             for item in self.criteria_items:
-                per_item_df = df
+                per_item_df = df.filter(**item.filter_args)
                 for criterion in item.validation:
                     failed_validation = per_item_df.validate(
                         **criterion.validation_args
                     )
                     if failed_validation is not None:
-                        per_item_df = IamDataFrame(
-                            concat([df.data, failed_validation]).drop_duplicates(
-                                keep=False
+                        criteria_msg = (
+                            "  Criteria: " + str(item) + ", "
+                            + ", ".join(
+                                [
+                                    f"{key}: {value}"
+                                    for key, value in criterion.criteria.items()
+                                ]
                             )
                         )
-                        criteria_msg = "  Criteria: " + ", ".join(
-                            [
-                                f"{key}: {value}"
-                                for key, value in criterion.criteria.items()
-                            ]
-                        )
                         failed_validation["warning_level"] = (
                             criterion.warning_level.value
                         )