diff --git a/binarycpython/utils/HPC.py b/binarycpython/utils/HPC.py
index a2a91176a3a6a1bd96e2281a2a15605b163ffd46..556f7b4e3fcd1e1845a7470dfc87e4f4fbf266f4 100644
--- a/binarycpython/utils/HPC.py
+++ b/binarycpython/utils/HPC.py
@@ -342,11 +342,10 @@ class HPC(condor,slurm):
                 print("We can join")
                 try:
                     # touch joiningfile
-                    if grid_options['HPC_force_join'] == 1:
-                        pathlib.Path(joiningfile).touch(exist_ok=True)
-                    else:
-                        pathlib.Path(joiningfile).touch(exist_ok=False)
+                    x = True if grid_options['HPC_force_join'] == 1 else False
+                    pathlib.Path(joiningfile).touch(exist_ok=x)
                     try:
+                        print("Calling HPC_join_from_files()")
                         self.HPC_join_from_files(self,joinfiles)
                     except Exception as e:
                         print("Join gave exception",e)