diff --git a/csaxs_bec/devices/omny/galil/galil_ophyd.py b/csaxs_bec/devices/omny/galil/galil_ophyd.py
index c1215b1..f05325e 100644
--- a/csaxs_bec/devices/omny/galil/galil_ophyd.py
+++ b/csaxs_bec/devices/omny/galil/galil_ophyd.py
@@ -348,23 +348,7 @@ class GalilSignalBase(SocketSignal):
     def __init__(self, signal_name, **kwargs):
         self.signal_name = signal_name
         super().__init__(**kwargs)
-        self.controller: Controller = self._find_attribute_recursively("controller")
-
-    def _find_attribute_recursively(self, attribute: str) -> Any:
-        """
-        Find an attribute recursively for nested sub-devices.
-        This is needed to find for example the controller instance for DDC components,
-        thus nested devices.
-        """
-        max_depth = 10  # to prevent infinite recursion
-        current_parent = self.parent
-        depth = 0
-        while current_parent is not None and depth < max_depth:
-            if hasattr(current_parent, attribute):
-                return getattr(current_parent, attribute)
-            current_parent = getattr(current_parent, "parent", None)
-            depth += 1
-        raise RuntimeError(f"Attribute '{attribute}' not found within maximum depth {max_depth}.")
+        self.controller = self.root.controller if hasattr(self.root, "controller") else None
 
 
 class GalilSignalRO(GalilSignalBase):
diff --git a/csaxs_bec/devices/omny/galil/galil_rio.py b/csaxs_bec/devices/omny/galil/galil_rio.py
index 0a3aabb..49df491 100644
--- a/csaxs_bec/devices/omny/galil/galil_rio.py
+++ b/csaxs_bec/devices/omny/galil/galil_rio.py
@@ -84,7 +84,11 @@ class GalilRIOSignal(GalilSignalBase):
 
     def __init__(self, signal_name: str, channel: int, parent: GalilRIO, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(signal_name, parent=parent, **kwargs)
-        self._readback_metadata = self._find_attribute_recursively("_readback_metadata")
+        self._readback_metadata = (
+            self.root._readback_metadata
+            if hasattr(self.root, "_readback_metadata")
+            else {"last_readback": 0.0}
+        )
         self._channel = channel
         self._metadata["connected"] = False