diff --git a/slic/core/acquisition/pedestals.py b/slic/core/acquisition/pedestals.py
index d421315a8..f93901a55 100644
--- a/slic/core/acquisition/pedestals.py
+++ b/slic/core/acquisition/pedestals.py
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ def take_pedestal(instrument, pgroup, api_address, raw_dir, res_dir, analyze_loc
     now = datetime.now().strftime(TIMESTAMP_FORMAT)
     file_base = PREFIX + now
 
-    raw_file_base = raw_dir + file_base
-    res_file_base = res_dir + file_base
+    raw_file_base = os.path.join(raw_dir, file_base)
+    res_file_base = os.path.join(res_dir, file_base)
 
     period = 1 / freq
     trigger = 1
diff --git a/slic/core/scanner/scanbackend.py b/slic/core/scanner/scanbackend.py
index 2c5134c9a..ce3cd5979 100644
--- a/slic/core/scanner/scanbackend.py
+++ b/slic/core/scanner/scanbackend.py
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ class ScanBackend:
             default_dir = acq.default_dir
             if default_dir is None:
                 continue
-            data_dir = default_dir + self.data_base_dir
+            data_dir = os.path.join(default_dir, self.data_base_dir)
 
             if self.make_scan_sub_dir:
                 filebase = os.path.basename(self.filename)
-                data_dir += filebase
+                data_dir = os.path.join(data_dir, filebase)
 
             make_missing_dir(data_dir)
 
@@ -137,7 +137,10 @@ def set_all_target_values(adjustables, values):
 
 def wait_for_all(tasks):
     for t in tasks:
-        t.wait()
+        try: # TODO: what do we want to do here? not write the filenames(s?) to scan_info?
+            t.wait()
+        except Exception as e:
+            print(e)