diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 7c3167c..c72c860 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -150,6 +150,13 @@ target_link_libraries(client
   ${_PROTOBUF_LIBPROTOBUF})
 target_include_directories(client PUBLIC ${utils_srcs})
 
+# check for BENCHMARK
+if(BENCHMARK_MACRO)
+target_compile_definitions(shard_master PUBLIC BENCHMARK)
+target_compile_definitions(volume_server PUBLIC BENCHMARK)
+target_compile_definitions(client PUBLIC BENCHMARK)
+endif(BENCHMARK_MACRO)
+
 # tests
 if(BUILD_TESTS)
   file(GLOB TEST_SOURCES tests/*/*.cc)
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 6676440..8ca0c10 100644
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ if [[ $* == *T* ]]; then
 	echo "* Build tests detected..."
 	BUILD_TESTS="ON"
 fi
+## flag "B" provided -> build with preprocessor macro BENCHMARK
+BENCHMARK_MACRO="OFF"
+if [[ $* == *B* ]]; then 
+	echo "* BENCHMARK_MACRO detected..."
+	BENCHMARK_MACRO="ON"
+fi
 echo "-------------"
 
 # Create build directory
@@ -20,7 +26,7 @@ mkdir -p cmake/build
 pushd cmake/build
 
 # build
-cmake -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=$HOME/src/builds/gRPC -DLEVELDB_PREFIX=$HOME/src/builds/leveldb -DBUILD_TESTS=$BUILD_TESTS ../..
+cmake -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=$HOME/src/builds/gRPC -DLEVELDB_PREFIX=$HOME/src/builds/leveldb -DBUILD_TESTS=$BUILD_TESTS -DBENCHMARK_MACRO=$BENCHMARK_MACRO ../..
 make
 
 popd
diff --git a/client/client.cc b/client/client.cc
index 896a2e0..b75650f 100644
--- a/client/client.cc
+++ b/client/client.cc
@@ -200,8 +200,10 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
   std::string shard_master_addr = (argc > 1) ? argv[1] : SHARD_MASTER_ADDR;
   Client client(grpc::CreateChannel(shard_master_addr, grpc::InsecureChannelCredentials()));
 
-  // simple non-exhaustive sanity check
-
+// simple non-exhaustive sanity check
+#if BENCHMARK
+  std::cout << "* BENCHMARK detected" << std::endl;
+#else
   // key not found
   std::cout << "Response:-\n"
             << client.Get("key1") << '\n'
@@ -240,5 +242,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
             << std::endl;
 
   std::cout << std::endl;
+#endif
+
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/server/shard_master/shard_master.h b/server/shard_master/shard_master.h
index a4433f3..f58b80f 100644
--- a/server/shard_master/shard_master.h
+++ b/server/shard_master/shard_master.h
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ class ShardMaster final : public ShardMasterService::Service {
     // config
     this->config_num = 0;  // INITIAL CONFIGURATION IS 0
     this->sm_config.clear();
+
+#ifdef BENCHMARK
+    std::cout << "* BENCHMARK detected" << std::endl;
+#endif
   }
 
   ~ShardMaster() { delete this->db; }
diff --git a/server/volume_server/volume_server.h b/server/volume_server/volume_server.h
index 4d5a9ff..69a0d03 100644
--- a/server/volume_server/volume_server.h
+++ b/server/volume_server/volume_server.h
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ class VolumeServer final : public VolumeServerService::Service {
     std::thread([this]() -> void {
       this->moveKeys();
     }).detach();
+
+#ifdef BENCHMARK
+    std::cout << "* BENCHMARK detected" << std::endl;
+#endif
   }
 
   ~VolumeServer() { delete this->db; }