diff --git a/open_mastr/mastr.py b/open_mastr/mastr.py
index 23af6f5b..918b375e 100644
--- a/open_mastr/mastr.py
+++ b/open_mastr/mastr.py
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@
     create_data_dir,
     get_data_version_dir,
     get_project_home_dir,
-    get_output_dir,
     setup_logger,
 )
 import open_mastr.utils.orm as orm
@@ -74,9 +73,8 @@ class Mastr:
     def __init__(self, engine="sqlite", connect_to_translated_db=False) -> None:
         validate_parameter_format_for_mastr_init(engine)
 
-        self.output_dir = get_output_dir()
         self.home_directory = get_project_home_dir()
-        self._sqlite_folder_path = os.path.join(self.output_dir, "data", "sqlite")
+        self._sqlite_folder_path = os.path.join(self.home_directory, "data", "sqlite")
         os.makedirs(self._sqlite_folder_path, exist_ok=True)
 
         self.is_translated = connect_to_translated_db
@@ -194,7 +192,7 @@ def download(
 
         # Find the name of the zipped xml folder
         bulk_download_date = parse_date_string(date)
-        xml_folder_path = os.path.join(self.output_dir, "data", "xml_download")
+        xml_folder_path = os.path.join(self.home_directory, "data", "xml_download")
         os.makedirs(xml_folder_path, exist_ok=True)
         zipped_xml_file_path = os.path.join(
             xml_folder_path,
diff --git a/open_mastr/utils/config.py b/open_mastr/utils/config.py
index 40f67ec8..c1d3a6dc 100644
--- a/open_mastr/utils/config.py
+++ b/open_mastr/utils/config.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 import os
 import yaml
 import shutil
-import pathlib
+from pathlib import Path
 from datetime import date
 
 import logging
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def get_project_home_dir():
+def get_project_home_dir() -> Path:
     """Get root dir of project data
 
     On linux this path equals `$HOME/.open-MaStR/`, respectively `~/.open-MaStR/`
@@ -46,23 +46,18 @@ def get_project_home_dir():
     path-like object
         Absolute path to root dir of open-MaStR project home
     """
-
-    return os.path.join(os.path.expanduser("~"), ".open-MaStR")
-
-
-def get_output_dir():
-    """Get output directory for csv data, xml file and database. Defaults to get_project_home_dir()
-
-    Returns
-    -------
-    path-like object
-        Absolute path to output path
-    """
-
-    if "OUTPUT_PATH" in os.environ:
-        return os.environ.get("OUTPUT_PATH")
-
-    return get_project_home_dir()
+    default_dir = Path.home() / ".open-MaStR"
+    env_path = os.getenv("OUTPUT_PATH")
+    if env_path:
+        try:
+            candidate = Path(env_path).expanduser().resolve(strict=False)
+            return candidate
+        except Exception as exc:
+            print(
+                f"Warning: could not use OUTPUT_PATH='{env_path}' ({exc}). "
+                f"Falling back to default '{default_dir}'."
+            )
+    return default_dir
 
 
 def get_data_version_dir():
@@ -78,10 +73,7 @@ def get_data_version_dir():
     """
     data_version = get_data_config()
 
-    if "OUTPUT_PATH" in os.environ:
-        return os.path.join(os.environ.get("OUTPUT_PATH"), "data", data_version)
-
-    return os.path.join(get_project_home_dir(), "data", data_version)
+    return get_project_home_dir() / "data" / data_version
 
 
 def get_filenames():
@@ -93,9 +85,7 @@ def get_filenames():
     dict
         File names used in open-MaStR
     """
-    with open(
-        os.path.join(get_project_home_dir(), "config", "filenames.yml")
-    ) as filename_fh:
+    with open(get_project_home_dir() / "config" / "filenames.yml") as filename_fh:
         filenames = yaml.safe_load(filename_fh)
 
     return filenames
@@ -113,7 +103,7 @@ def get_data_config():
 
     today = date.today()
 
-    data_config = f'dataversion-{today.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")}'
+    data_config = f"dataversion-{today.strftime('%Y-%m-%d')}"
 
     return data_config
 
@@ -123,7 +113,7 @@ def create_project_home_dir():
     project_home = get_project_home_dir()
 
     # Create root project home path
-    if not os.path.isdir(project_home):
+    if not project_home.is_dir():
         # Create project home
         log.info(f"Create {project_home} used for config, parameters and data.")
         os.mkdir(project_home)
@@ -135,12 +125,10 @@ def create_project_home_dir():
             os.mkdir(subdir)
 
     # copy default config files
-    config_path = os.path.join(get_project_home_dir(), "config")
+    config_path = get_project_home_dir() / "config"
     log.info(f"I will create a default set of config files in {config_path}")
 
-    internal_config_dir = os.path.join(
-        pathlib.Path(__file__).parent.absolute(), "config"
-    )
+    internal_config_dir = os.path.join(Path(__file__).parent.absolute(), "config")
     files = ["logging.yml"]
 
     for file in files:
@@ -165,7 +153,7 @@ def create_data_dir():
 def _filenames_generator():
     """Write default file names .yml to project home dir"""
 
-    filenames_file = os.path.join(get_project_home_dir(), "config", "filenames.yml")
+    filenames_file = get_project_home_dir() / "config" / "filenames.yml"
 
     # How files are prefixed
     prefix = "bnetza_mastr"
@@ -207,7 +195,6 @@ def _filenames_generator():
     for section, section_filenames in filenames_template.items():
         filenames[section] = {}
         for tech in TECHNOLOGIES:
-
             # Files for all technologies
             files = ["joined", "basic", "extended", "extended_fail"]
 
@@ -282,14 +269,12 @@ def setup_logger():
     """
 
     # Read logging config
-    with open(
-        os.path.join(get_project_home_dir(), "config", "logging.yml")
-    ) as filename_fh:
+    with open(get_project_home_dir() / "config" / "logging.yml") as filename_fh:
         logging_config = yaml.safe_load(filename_fh)
 
     # Add logfile location
-    logging_config["handlers"]["file"]["filename"] = os.path.join(
-        get_project_home_dir(), "logs", "open_mastr.log"
+    logging_config["handlers"]["file"]["filename"] = (
+        get_project_home_dir() / "logs" / "open_mastr.log"
     )
 
     logging.config.dictConfig(logging_config)