diff --git a/bec_widgets/widgets/plots/image/image.py b/bec_widgets/widgets/plots/image/image.py
index 14429080..89b25268 100644
--- a/bec_widgets/widgets/plots/image/image.py
+++ b/bec_widgets/widgets/plots/image/image.py
@@ -959,6 +959,8 @@ class Image(ImageBase):
         Returns:
             np.ndarray: The updated image buffer with adjusted shapes.
         """
+        # Guard for wrong data shapes
+        new_data = np.atleast_1d(np.asarray(new_data))
         new_len = new_data.shape[0]
         if not hasattr(image, "buffer"):
             image.buffer = []
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_image_view_next_gen.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_image_view_next_gen.py
index 4b2c8411..5749da44 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_image_view_next_gen.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_image_view_next_gen.py
@@ -1439,4 +1439,21 @@ def test_image_processor_log_is_finite_for_non_positive():
     # maps to 0.
     assert out[0, 0] == pytest.approx(-1.0)
     assert out[1, 0] == pytest.approx(-1.0)
-    assert proc.log(np.array([[1.0]]))[0, 0] == pytest.approx(0.0)
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+    assert proc.log(np.array([[1.0]]))[0, 0] == pytest.approx(0.0)
+
+
+##############################################
+# Shape / dtype edge cases in the data path
+##############################################
+
+
+def test_adjust_image_buffer_coerces_list_and_scalar(qtbot, mocked_client):
+    """Non-ndarray payloads (python list, 0-d scalar) must not crash the
+    1D buffer accumulation."""
+    view = create_widget(qtbot, Image, client=mocked_client)
+    image = view.main_image
+
+    buf = view.adjust_image_buffer(image, [1, 2, 3])  # python list
+    assert buf.shape == (1, 3)
+    buf = view.adjust_image_buffer(image, np.array(42.0))  # 0-d scalar
+    assert buf.shape[0] == 2
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