diff --git a/benchmarks/suites/bfcl.py b/benchmarks/suites/bfcl.py
index b65d791..9df321f 100644
--- a/benchmarks/suites/bfcl.py
+++ b/benchmarks/suites/bfcl.py
@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@ class BFCLBenchmark(BenchmarkSuite):
                 problem_id=pid, passed=False, error="solution.py not found"
             )
 
+        output = ""
         test_harness = os.path.join(workspace, "test_harness.py")
         if os.path.exists(test_harness):
             code, output = self._run_shell(
@@ -335,6 +336,6 @@ class BFCLBenchmark(BenchmarkSuite):
 
         return BenchmarkResult(
             problem_id=pid, passed=passed,
-            actual=output[:500] if "output" in dir() else "",
-            error="" if passed else (output[:500] if "output" in dir() else "function call not found"),
+            actual=output[:500],
+            error="" if passed else (output[:500] if output else "function call not found"),
         )
diff --git a/benchmarks/suites/mbpp.py b/benchmarks/suites/mbpp.py
index 5eeecc6..755fd2b 100644
--- a/benchmarks/suites/mbpp.py
+++ b/benchmarks/suites/mbpp.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ _BUILTIN_PROBLEMS: list[dict[str, Any]] = [
         "code": 'import re\ndef find_char_long(text):\n  return (re.findall(r"\\b\\w{4,}\\b", text))',
         "test_list": [
             'assert find_char_long(\'Please move back to stream\') == [\'Please\', \'move\', \'back\', \'stream\']',
-            'assert find_char_long(\'Joveacvber gfnbb vcdf\') == [\'Jove\', \'acvber\', \'gfnbb\', \'vcdf\']' + "",
+            'assert find_char_long(\'Joveacvber gfnbb vcdf\') == [\'Jove\', \'acvber\', \'gfnbb\', \'vcdf\']',
             'assert find_char_long(\'Davvede aridge\') == [\'Davvede\', \'aridge\']',
         ],
     },