diff --git a/python/grass/script/core.py b/python/grass/script/core.py
index 672284713a3..0534a1ce5b3 100644
--- a/python/grass/script/core.py
+++ b/python/grass/script/core.py
@@ -1326,13 +1326,30 @@ def del_temp_region():
 
 def find_file(name, element="cell", mapset=None, env=None):
     """Returns the output from running g.findfile as a
-    dictionary. Example:
+    dictionary.
+
+    Elements in g.findfile refer to mapset directories. However, in
+    parts of the code, different element terms like rast, raster, or rast3d
+    are used. For convenience the function translates such element types
+    to respective mapset elements. Current translations are:
+    "rast": "cell",
+    "raster": "cell",
+    "rast3d": "grid3",
+    "raster3d": "grid3",
+    "raster_3d": "grid3",
+
+    Example:
 
     >>> result = find_file('elevation', element='cell')
     >>> print(result['fullname'])
     elevation@PERMANENT
     >>> print(result['file'])  # doctest: +ELLIPSIS
     /.../PERMANENT/cell/elevation
+    >>> result = find_file('elevation', element='raster')
+    >>> print(result['fullname'])
+    elevation@PERMANENT
+    >>> print(result['file'])  # doctest: +ELLIPSIS
+    /.../PERMANENT/cell/elevation
 
 
     :param str name: file name
@@ -1342,11 +1359,19 @@ def find_file(name, element="cell", mapset=None, env=None):
 
     :return: parsed output of g.findfile
     """
-    if element == "raster" or element == "rast":
-        verbose(_('Element type should be "cell" and not "%s"') % element)
-        element = "cell"
+    element_translation = {
+        "rast": "cell",
+        "raster": "cell",
+        "rast3d": "grid3",
+        "raster3d": "grid3",
+        "raster_3d": "grid3",
+    }
+
+    if element in element_translation:
+        element = element_translation[element]
+
     # g.findfile returns non-zero when file was not found
-    # se we ignore return code and just focus on stdout
+    # so we ignore return code and just focus on stdout
     process = start_command(
         "g.findfile",
         flags="n",