diff --git a/lib/linalg/BasisGenerator.h b/lib/linalg/BasisGenerator.h
index 15de08379..3785b29fc 100644
--- a/lib/linalg/BasisGenerator.h
+++ b/lib/linalg/BasisGenerator.h
@@ -128,6 +128,13 @@ class BasisGenerator
     {
         if (d_basis_writer) {
             d_basis_writer->writeBasis(kind);
+            delete d_basis_writer;
+            d_basis_writer = nullptr;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            std::cout << "WARNING: file has already been written by endSamples"
+                      << std::endl;
         }
     }
 
@@ -137,9 +144,7 @@ class BasisGenerator
     void
     writeSnapshot()
     {
-        if (d_basis_writer) {
-            d_basis_writer->writeBasis("snapshot");
-        }
+        endSamples("snapshot");
     }
 
     /**