Thermally induced stress in a semiconductor die, i.e., in a complex metallization system thereof, may be reduced by “dividing” a package substrate into two or more substrate sections, which may have formed therebetween an appropriate stress buffer region, for instance a region of superior resiliency. In this case, the total deformation of the package substrate may be reduced, thereby also reducing the thermally induced stress forces in the complex metallization system of the semiconductor die. Hence, for a given size and complexity of a metallization system, an increased production yield and superior reliability may be achieved.