diff --git a/include/aare/ClusterFinder.hpp b/include/aare/ClusterFinder.hpp
index 5ced7e7..9b37da9 100644
--- a/include/aare/ClusterFinder.hpp
+++ b/include/aare/ClusterFinder.hpp
@@ -54,13 +54,21 @@ class ClusterFinder {
           c2(sqrt((ClusterSizeY + 1) / 2 * (ClusterSizeX + 1) / 2)),
           c3(sqrt(ClusterSizeX * ClusterSizeY)),
           m_pedestal(image_size[0], image_size[1]), m_clusters(capacity),
+          m_threshold({image_size[0], image_size[1]}, 0),
           m_pd_corrected_frame({image_size[0], image_size[1]}, 0) {
         LOG(logDEBUG) << "ClusterFinder: "
                       << "image_size: " << image_size[0] << "x" << image_size[1]
                       << ", nSigma: " << nSigma << ", capacity: " << capacity;
     }
 
-    void set_nSigma(PEDESTAL_TYPE nSigma) { m_nSigma = nSigma; }
+    /**
+     * @brief Set the nSigma parameter and update the threshold.
+     * @param nSigma the new nSigma parameter.
+     */
+    void set_nSigma(PEDESTAL_TYPE nSigma) {
+        m_nSigma = nSigma;
+        update_threshold();
+    }
 
     PEDESTAL_TYPE get_nSigma() const { return m_nSigma; }
 
@@ -227,6 +235,10 @@ class ClusterFinder {
         // // TODO! deal with even size clusters
         // // currently 3,3 -> +/- 1
         // //  4,4 -> +/- 2
+        if (!m_pedestal.ready()) {
+            throw std::runtime_error(
+                "Pedestal is not ready, cannot find clusters");
+        }
 
         constexpr int dy = ClusterSizeY / 2;
         constexpr int dx = ClusterSizeX / 2;
diff --git a/python/tests/test_Cluster.py b/python/tests/test_Cluster.py
index cafb118..fece727 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_Cluster.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_Cluster.py
@@ -103,15 +103,18 @@ def test_max_sum():
 
 def test_cluster_finder(): 
     """Test ClusterFinder""" 
+    shape = [100,100]
+    cf = _aare.ClusterFinder_Cluster3x3i(shape)
 
-    clusterfinder = _aare.ClusterFinder_Cluster3x3i([100,100])
+    #Push 1000 frames to the pedestal
+    for i in range(1000):
+        frame = np.random.normal(loc = 100, scale = 5, size = shape).astype(np.uint16)
+        cf.push_pedestal_frame(frame)
+    cf.update_threshold()
+    frame = np.zeros(shape=shape, dtype=np.uint16)
+    cf.find_clusters(frame)
 
-    #frame = np.random.rand(100,100)
-    frame = np.zeros(shape=[100,100])
-
-    clusterfinder.find_clusters(frame)
-
-    clusters = clusterfinder.steal_clusters(False) #conversion does not work
+    clusters = cf.steal_clusters(False) #conversion does not work
 
     assert clusters.size == 0
 
diff --git a/python/tests/test_FastPedestal.py b/python/tests/test_FastPedestal.py
index 377e54b..b5d774f 100644
--- a/python/tests/test_FastPedestal.py
+++ b/python/tests/test_FastPedestal.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def test_fast_pedestal_initialization(pedestal_type, expected_dtype):
 
     pedestal.push_init(first)
     pedestal.push_init(second)
-    pedestal.update_mean()
+
 
     expected_mean = np.array(
         [[3, 5, 7], [9, 11, 13]], dtype=expected_dtype
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def test_fast_pedestal_steady_state_push():
     pedestal = FastPedestal_d(1, 2, 2)
     pedestal.push_init(np.array([[2, 4]], dtype=np.uint16))
     pedestal.push_init(np.array([[4, 6]], dtype=np.uint16))
-    pedestal.update_mean()
+
 
     pedestal.push(np.array([[6, 8]], dtype=np.uint16))
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def test_fast_pedestal_steady_state_push():
 def test_fast_pedestal_exposes_read_only_buffer_and_subtraction():
     pedestal = FastPedestal_d(1, 2, 1)
     pedestal.push_init(np.array([[2, 4]], dtype=np.uint16))
-    pedestal.update_mean()
+
 
     view = np.asarray(pedestal)
     result = np.array([[12, 14]], dtype=np.uint16) - pedestal