diff --git a/pearl/utils/uci_data.py b/pearl/utils/uci_data.py
index 03074218..bb315fbb 100644
--- a/pearl/utils/uci_data.py
+++ b/pearl/utils/uci_data.py
@@ -29,27 +29,27 @@ def download_uci_data(data_path: str) -> None:
     """
 
     for dataset_name in uci_urls.keys():
-        url = uci_urls[dataset_name]["url"] + "/" + uci_urls[dataset_name]["file_name"]
-        filename = os.path.join(data_path, uci_urls[dataset_name]["file_name"])
+        unzipped_dataset_dirpath = os.path.join(data_path, dataset_name)
+        zip_filepath = os.path.join(data_path, uci_urls[dataset_name]["file_name"])
 
         # Download the zip file
+        url = uci_urls[dataset_name]["url"] + "/" + uci_urls[dataset_name]["file_name"]
         response = requests_get(url)
         if response.status_code != 200:
             raise Exception(f"Failed to download {dataset_name} dataset from {url}.")
 
         # Locally save the zip file
-        with open(filename, "wb") as f:
+        with open(zip_filepath, "wb") as f:
             f.write(response.content)
 
         # Unzip the file
-        unzip_filepath = os.path.join(data_path, dataset_name)
         try:
-            with zipfile.ZipFile(filename, "r") as z:
-                z.extractall(unzip_filepath)
+            with zipfile.ZipFile(zip_filepath, "r") as z:
+                z.extractall(unzipped_dataset_dirpath)
         except zipfile.BadZipFile:
             raise zipfile.BadZipFile(
-                f"Bad zip file: {filename}. Please delete corrupt file and run again."
+                f"Bad zip file: {zip_filepath}. Please delete corrupt file and run again."
             )
 
         # Delete the zip file
-        os.remove(filename)
+        os.remove(zip_filepath)