diff --git a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_GranularGas.cpp b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_GranularGas.cpp
index d21e6877f72d265da3fc585f12663de3ab380d81..01c253995a8270049349620a116ba45b0d165381 100644
--- a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_GranularGas.cpp
+++ b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_GranularGas.cpp
@@ -160,9 +160,9 @@ int main( int argc, char ** argv )
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("*** SETUP - END ***");
 
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("*** VTK ***");
-   auto vtkDomainOutput = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_DomainDecomposition( forest, "domain_decomposition", 1, "vtk_out", "simulation_step" );
+   auto vtkDomainOutput = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_DomainDecomposition( forest, "domain_decomposition", 1, params.vtk_out, "simulation_step" );
    auto vtkOutput       = make_shared<mesa_pd::vtk::ParticleVtkOutput>(ps) ;
-   auto vtkWriter       = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_PointData(vtkOutput, "Bodies", 1, "vtk", "simulation_step", false, false);
+   auto vtkWriter       = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_PointData(vtkOutput, "Bodies", 1, params.vtk_out, "simulation_step", false, false);
    vtkOutput->addOutput<SelectRank>("rank");
    vtkOutput->addOutput<data::SelectParticleOwner>("owner");
    //   vtkDomainOutput->write();
diff --git a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_KernelBenchmark.cpp b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_KernelBenchmark.cpp
index 5469a6a2fcb866411ec24087d65b635aea137aac..a6cbb67471086729e009754b398dc79e299ba674 100644
--- a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_KernelBenchmark.cpp
+++ b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_KernelBenchmark.cpp
@@ -163,9 +163,9 @@ int main( int argc, char ** argv )
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("*** SETUP - END ***");
 
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("*** VTK ***");
-   auto vtkDomainOutput = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_DomainDecomposition( forest, "domain_decomposition", 1, "vtk_out", "simulation_step" );
+   auto vtkDomainOutput = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_DomainDecomposition( forest, "domain_decomposition", 1, params.vtk_out, "simulation_step" );
    auto vtkOutput       = make_shared<mesa_pd::vtk::ParticleVtkOutput>(ps) ;
-   auto vtkWriter       = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_PointData(vtkOutput, "Bodies", 1, "vtk", "simulation_step", false, false);
+   auto vtkWriter       = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_PointData(vtkOutput, "Bodies", 1, params.vtk_out, "simulation_step", false, false);
    vtkOutput->addOutput<SelectRank>("rank");
    vtkOutput->addOutput<data::SelectParticleOwner>("owner");
    vtkOutput->addOutput<SelectIdx>("idx");
diff --git a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_KernelLoadBalancing.cpp b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_KernelLoadBalancing.cpp
index 718edf66efd239e448146627f2380514f1b370fa..ae6867e77c24f7cd80d5ff3a389fe3e37ad71b12 100644
--- a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_KernelLoadBalancing.cpp
+++ b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_KernelLoadBalancing.cpp
@@ -223,9 +223,9 @@ int main( int argc, char ** argv )
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("*** SETUP - END ***");
 
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("*** VTK ***");
-   auto vtkDomainOutput = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_DomainDecomposition( forest, "domain_decomposition", 1, "vtk_out", "simulation_step" );
+   auto vtkDomainOutput = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_DomainDecomposition( forest, "domain_decomposition", 1, params.vtk_out, "simulation_step" );
    auto vtkOutput       = make_shared<mesa_pd::vtk::ParticleVtkOutput>(ps) ;
-   auto vtkWriter       = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_PointData(vtkOutput, "Bodies", 1, "vtk", "simulation_step", false, false);
+   auto vtkWriter       = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_PointData(vtkOutput, "Bodies", 1, params.vtk_out, "simulation_step", false, false);
    vtkOutput->addOutput<SelectRank>("rank");
    vtkOutput->addOutput<data::SelectParticleOwner>("owner");
    vtkOutput->addOutput<SelectIdx>("idx");
diff --git a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_LoadBalancing.cpp b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_LoadBalancing.cpp
index d4b23f5ac1101c2f8c16e749a9b8676ef7c6b0ec..feec74e0b8716d1c3d8a2b3ca77910e008f42ef0 100644
--- a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_LoadBalancing.cpp
+++ b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/MESA_PD_LoadBalancing.cpp
@@ -221,9 +221,9 @@ int main( int argc, char ** argv )
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("*** SETUP - END ***");
 
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("*** VTK ***");
-   auto vtkDomainOutput = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_DomainDecomposition( forest, "domain_decomposition", 1, "vtk", "simulation_step" );
+   auto vtkDomainOutput = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_DomainDecomposition( forest, "domain_decomposition", 1, params.vtk_out, "simulation_step" );
    auto vtkOutput       = make_shared<mesa_pd::vtk::ParticleVtkOutput>(ps) ;
-   auto vtkWriter       = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_PointData(vtkOutput, "Bodies", 1, "vtk", "simulation_step", false, false);
+   auto vtkWriter       = walberla::vtk::createVTKOutput_PointData(vtkOutput, "Bodies", 1, params.vtk_out, "simulation_step", false, false);
    vtkOutput->addOutput<SelectRank>("rank");
    vtkOutput->addOutput<data::SelectParticleOwner>("owner");
    vtkDomainOutput->write();
diff --git a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/PE_GranularGas.cpp b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/PE_GranularGas.cpp
index 96ded8e71b85cffe7d76ad7c986b1b860f97556c..ece49a7452f0f086629f2688e7004ae9017c2825 100644
--- a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/PE_GranularGas.cpp
+++ b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/PE_GranularGas.cpp
@@ -174,9 +174,9 @@ int main( int argc, char ** argv )
    }
 
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("*** VTK ***");
-   auto vtkDomainOutput = vtk::createVTKOutput_DomainDecomposition( forest, "domain_decomposition", 1, "vtk_out", "simulation_step" );
+   auto vtkDomainOutput = vtk::createVTKOutput_DomainDecomposition( forest, "domain_decomposition", 1, params.vtk_out, "simulation_step" );
    auto vtkSphereHelper = make_shared<SphereVtkOutput>(storageID, *forest) ;
-   auto vtkSphereOutput = vtk::createVTKOutput_PointData(vtkSphereHelper, "Bodies", 1, "vtk_out", "simulation_step", false, false);
+   auto vtkSphereOutput = vtk::createVTKOutput_PointData(vtkSphereHelper, "Bodies", 1, params.vtk_out, "simulation_step", false, false);
 
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("*** SETUP - START ***");
    //const real_t   static_cof  ( real_c(0.1) / 2 );   // Coefficient of static friction. Note: pe doubles the input coefficient of friction for material-material contacts.
diff --git a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/PE_LoadBalancing.cpp b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/PE_LoadBalancing.cpp
index 17ee870e4a046df5f7b43db7cab1b4eb8f7c495c..42bcac4ece8efb4df0bc09b8fd2267a4259bd92c 100644
--- a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/PE_LoadBalancing.cpp
+++ b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/PE_LoadBalancing.cpp
@@ -251,9 +251,9 @@ int main( int argc, char ** argv )
    }
 
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("*** VTK ***");
-   auto vtkDomainOutput = vtk::createVTKOutput_DomainDecomposition( forest, "domain_decomposition", 1, "vtk_out", "simulation_step" );
+   auto vtkDomainOutput = vtk::createVTKOutput_DomainDecomposition( forest, "domain_decomposition", 1, params.vtk_out, "simulation_step" );
    auto vtkSphereHelper = make_shared<SphereVtkOutput>(storageID, *forest) ;
-   auto vtkSphereOutput = vtk::createVTKOutput_PointData(vtkSphereHelper, "Bodies", 1, "vtk_out", "simulation_step", false, false);
+   auto vtkSphereOutput = vtk::createVTKOutput_PointData(vtkSphereHelper, "Bodies", 1, params.vtk_out, "simulation_step", false, false);
 
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("*** SETUP - START ***");
    //const real_t   static_cof  ( real_c(0.1) / 2 );   // Coefficient of static friction. Note: pe doubles the input coefficient of friction for material-material contacts.
diff --git a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/Parameters.cpp b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/Parameters.cpp
index a6b937da3dcc9fdd6e0aeb80429a395a86dc3294..83a517db8af38a5effe1efa9ed900a7232b8d328 100644
--- a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/Parameters.cpp
+++ b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/Parameters.cpp
@@ -69,8 +69,8 @@ void loadFromConfig(Parameters& params, const Config::BlockHandle& cfg)
    params.visSpacing = cfg.getParameter<int64_t>("visSpacing", 1000 );
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("visSpacing: " << params.visSpacing);
    
-   params.path = cfg.getParameter<std::string>("path", "vtk_out" );
-   WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("path: " << params.path);
+   params.vtk_out = cfg.getParameter<std::string>("vtk_out", "vtk_out" );
+   WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("vtk_out: " << params.vtk_out);
    
    params.sqlFile = cfg.getParameter<std::string>("sqlFile", "benchmark.sqlite" );
    WALBERLA_LOG_INFO_ON_ROOT("sqlFile: " << params.sqlFile);
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ void saveToSQL(const Parameters& params,
    
    integerProperties["visSpacing"] = params.visSpacing;
    
-   stringProperties["path"] = params.path;
+   stringProperties["vtk_out"] = params.vtk_out;
    
    stringProperties["sqlFile"] = params.sqlFile;
    
diff --git a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/Parameters.h b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/Parameters.h
index c216aabfffe36ba2150147133e6d9068be54620b..de6152baadc959e794a01e323987620acbc8601e 100644
--- a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/Parameters.h
+++ b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/Parameters.h
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ struct Parameters
    int64_t simulationSteps = 10;
    real_t dt = real_t(0.01);
    int64_t visSpacing = 1000;
-   std::string path = "vtk_out";
+   std::string vtk_out = "vtk_out";
    std::string sqlFile = "benchmark.sqlite";
    bool recalculateBlockLevelsInRefresh = false;
    bool alwaysRebalanceInRefresh = true;
diff --git a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/generateConfig.py b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/generateConfig.py
index 3f5637107912aebdd828ddedd93fa7f983b55474..5a1bd8f753ea7824816ab93a84d436bded2fdd61 100755
--- a/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/generateConfig.py
+++ b/apps/benchmarks/GranularGas/generateConfig.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ cfg.addParameter("initialRefinementLevel", "int64_t",     "0")
 cfg.addParameter("simulationSteps",        "int64_t",     "10")
 cfg.addParameter("dt",                     "real_t",      "real_t(0.01)")
 cfg.addParameter("visSpacing",             "int64_t",     "1000")
-cfg.addParameter("path",                   "std::string", '"vtk_out"')
+cfg.addParameter("vtk_out",                "std::string", '"vtk_out"')
 cfg.addParameter("sqlFile",                "std::string", '"benchmark.sqlite"')
 
 cfg.addParameter("recalculateBlockLevelsInRefresh",                "bool", "false");