diff --git a/benchmarks/python/comparative/bench_torch.py b/benchmarks/python/comparative/bench_torch.py
index a83e1b503..a2157707b 100644
--- a/benchmarks/python/comparative/bench_torch.py
+++ b/benchmarks/python/comparative/bench_torch.py
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ def prelu(x: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
 def mish(x: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
     y = x
     for _ in range(100):
-        return torch.nn.functional.mish(y)
+        y = torch.nn.functional.mish(y)
     sync_if_needed(x)
 
 
@@ -283,6 +283,14 @@ def topk(axis, x):
     sync_if_needed(x)
 
 
+@torch.no_grad()
+def step_function(x):
+    y = x
+    for i in range(100):
+        y = torch.where(y < 0, 0, 1)
+    sync_if_needed(x)
+
+
 @torch.no_grad()
 def selu(x):
     y = x
@@ -446,5 +454,11 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     elif args.benchmark == "topk":
         print(bench(topk, axis, x))
 
+    elif args.benchmark == "step":
+        print(bench(step_function, x))
+
+    elif args.benchmark == "selu":
+        print(bench(selu, x))
+
     else:
-        raise ValueError("Unknown benchmark")
+        raise ValueError(f"Unknown benchmark `{args.benchmark}`.")
diff --git a/benchmarks/python/comparative/compare.py b/benchmarks/python/comparative/compare.py
index 5b71cf583..68b4a5bd3 100644
--- a/benchmarks/python/comparative/compare.py
+++ b/benchmarks/python/comparative/compare.py
@@ -16,7 +16,9 @@ def run_or_raise(*args, **kwargs):
         result = run(*args, capture_output=True, **kwargs)
         return float(result.stdout)
     except ValueError:
-        raise ValueError(f"stdout: {result.stdout}\nstderr: {result.stderr}")
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"stdout: {result.stdout.decode()}\nstderr: {result.stderr.decode()}"
+        )
 
 
 def compare(args):