diff --git a/binarycpython/utils/HPC.py b/binarycpython/utils/HPC.py
index 556f7b4e3fcd1e1845a7470dfc87e4f4fbf266f4..42cea8923f52d36b46f0bbf51c4c92a6a9deecae 100644
--- a/binarycpython/utils/HPC.py
+++ b/binarycpython/utils/HPC.py
@@ -342,8 +342,8 @@ class HPC(condor,slurm):
                 print("We can join")
                 try:
                     # touch joiningfile
-                    x = True if grid_options['HPC_force_join'] == 1 else False
-                    pathlib.Path(joiningfile).touch(exist_ok=x)
+                    if grid_options['HPC_force_join'] == 0:
+                        pathlib.Path(joiningfile).touch(exist_ok=False)
                     try:
                         print("Calling HPC_join_from_files()")
                         self.HPC_join_from_files(self,joinfiles)