diff --git a/qdp_project/src/benchmark/MAX_benchmark.cpp b/qdp_project/src/benchmark/MAX_benchmark.cpp
index c120310..bb23390 100644
--- a/qdp_project/src/benchmark/MAX_benchmark.cpp
+++ b/qdp_project/src/benchmark/MAX_benchmark.cpp
@@ -111,12 +111,18 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
 
     std::ofstream out_file;
 
-    out_file.open("../results/max_" 
-            "q-" + (std::string)(simple_query == true ? "simple" : "complex") + 
-            "_bm-" + (std::string) BARRIER_MODE + 
-            "_bl-" + (std::string)(BUFFER_LIMIT == 1 ? "limited" : "unlimited") + 
-            "_tc-" + std::to_string(thread_count) + "1MiB-2MiB.csv", std::ios::app);
-    
+    const std::string ofname = std::string("results/max_") +
+                               "q-" + (std::string)(simple_query == true ? "simple" : "complex") +
+                               "_bm-" + (std::string) BARRIER_MODE +
+                               "_bl-" + (std::string)(BUFFER_LIMIT == 1 ? "limited" : "unlimited") +
+                               "_tc-" + std::to_string(thread_count) + "1MiB-2MiB.csv";
+
+    out_file.open(ofname);
+
+    if (out_file.bad()) {
+        std::cerr << "Failed to open Output File '" << ofname << "'" << std::endl;
+    }
+
     // set benchmark parameter 
     Linear_Int_Range<uint32_t, 0, 30, 1> run("run");
     Linear_Int_Range<size_t, chunk_min, chunk_max, chunk_incr> chunk_size("chunk_size");
@@ -130,8 +136,8 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
         "wait_scan_a", "wait_scan_b", "wait_aggr_j",
     #endif
     #if PCM == 1
-        pcm_value_collector::getHead("scan_a"), 
-        pcm_value_collector::getHead("scan_b"), 
+        pcm_value_collector::getHead("scan_a"),
+        pcm_value_collector::getHead("scan_b"),
         pcm_value_collector::getHead("aggr_j"),
     #endif
         "result");
@@ -145,13 +151,19 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     fill_mt<base_t>(data_a, workload_b, 0, 100, 42);
     fill_mt<base_t>(data_b, workload_b, 0, 100, 420);
 
+    const std::string cfname = std::string("results/max_") +
+                               "q-" + (std::string)(simple_query == true ? "simple" : "complex") +
+                               "_bm-" + (std::string) BARRIER_MODE +
+                               "_bl-" + (std::string)(BUFFER_LIMIT == 1 ? "limited" : "unlimited") +
+                               "_tc-" + std::to_string(thread_count) + ".checksum";
 
     std::ofstream check_file;
-    check_file.open("../results/max_" 
-            "q-" + (std::string)(simple_query == true ? "simple" : "complex") + 
-            "_bm-" + (std::string) BARRIER_MODE + 
-            "_bl-" + (std::string)(BUFFER_LIMIT == 1 ? "limited" : "unlimited") + 
-            "_tc-" + std::to_string(thread_count) + ".checksum");
+    check_file.open(cfname);
+
+    if (check_file.bad()) {
+        std::cerr << "Failed to open Checksum File '" << cfname << "'" << std::endl;
+    }
+
     if constexpr (QUERY == 1) {
         //calculate simple checksum if QUERY == 1 -> simple query is applied
         check_file << sum_check(compare_value_a, data_a, data_b, workload_b);