diff --git a/benchmarks/coremark/core_portme.c b/benchmarks/coremark/core_portme.c
index 7f1119e..41a7714 100644
--- a/benchmarks/coremark/core_portme.c
+++ b/benchmarks/coremark/core_portme.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Original Author: Shay Gal-on
 */
 #include "core_portme.h"
 #include "coremark.h"
+#include <unistd.h>
 // Read cycle CSR
 unsigned long long _read_cycle() {
   unsigned long long result;
@@ -38,11 +39,14 @@ unsigned long long _read_cycle() {
   return result;
 }
 
-extern volatile int tohost;
-extern volatile int fromhost;
+// extern volatile int tohost;
+// extern volatile int fromhost;
+
+void write_hex(int fd, uint32_t hex);
 
 void exit(int n) {
-  tohost = 0x1;
+  write_hex(STDERR_FILENO, 1);
+  // tohost = 0x1;
   for (;;)
     ;
 }
diff --git a/benchmarks/dhrystone/dhry_stubs.c b/benchmarks/dhrystone/dhry_stubs.c
index a3e7b7c..3a327e2 100644
--- a/benchmarks/dhrystone/dhry_stubs.c
+++ b/benchmarks/dhrystone/dhry_stubs.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "platform.h"
+#include <unistd.h>
 #ifndef ITERATIONS
 #define ITERATIONS 20000
 #endif
@@ -6,20 +7,16 @@
 /* The functions in this file are only meant to support Dhrystone on an
  * embedded RV32 system and are obviously incorrect in general. */
 
-long time(void)
-{
-  return get_timer_value();
-}
+long time(void) { return get_timer_value(); }
 
 // set the number of dhrystone iterations
-void __wrap_scanf(const char* fmt, int* n)
-{
-  *n = ITERATIONS;
-}
+void __wrap_scanf(const char *fmt, int *n) { *n = ITERATIONS; }
 
-extern volatile uint32_t tohost;
+// extern volatile uint64_t tohost;
 
-void exit(int n){
-      tohost = 0x1;
-      for (;;);
+void exit(int n) {
+  // tohost = 0x1;
+  write_hex(STDERR_FILENO, 1);
+  for (;;)
+    ;
 }