diff --git a/benchmark.py b/benchmark.py
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index 0f571455e..e969c1f2e
--- a/benchmark.py
+++ b/benchmark.py
@@ -151,12 +151,13 @@ def writeStatus(message, config):
 
 	if os.path.exists(statusFilename):
 		with open(statusFilename, "r") as statusFile:
-			content = statusFile.read()
+			# add the previous status messages, but trancate them
+			content = statusFile.readlines()[0:(config["storage"]["statusLogSize"] - 1)]
 	else:
 		content = ""
 
 	with open(statusFilename, "w") as statusFile:
-		print(time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %z") + "\t" + message + "\n" + content, file = statusFile, end = "")
+		print(time.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %z") + "\t" + message + "\n" + "".join(content), file = statusFile, end = "")
 
 	git(["add", "status.log"], dataDir)
 	git(["commit", "-m Update status: " + message], dataDir)
diff --git a/config.example.yaml b/config.example.yaml
index 8ca26eb32..14fadc4d3 100644
--- a/config.example.yaml
+++ b/config.example.yaml
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ storage:
     results: results
     config: config
     status: status
+  # the maximum size of the status log in lines
+  statusLogSize: 100
 
 executables:
   timeout: