diff --git a/src/aare/daq/daq.py b/src/aare/daq/daq.py
index 428f1aa4..476fca10 100644
--- a/src/aare/daq/daq.py
+++ b/src/aare/daq/daq.py
@@ -3099,9 +3099,9 @@ class AareDAQ:
         sample = self._cfg.current_sample
         try:
             self._devs.tell.get_state()
-            tell_connected, tell_error =  True, None
+            tell_connected, tell_error = True, None
         except TellCommunicationError as e:
-            tell_connected, tell_error =  False, f"TELL unavailable: {e}"
+            tell_connected, tell_error = False, f"TELL unavailable: {e}"
         return sample, tell_connected, tell_error
 
     def _aerotech_status(self) -> tuple[bool, str | None]:
diff --git a/src/aare/daq/operations/mounting/service.py b/src/aare/daq/operations/mounting/service.py
index 0ff37778..b97ec726 100644
--- a/src/aare/daq/operations/mounting/service.py
+++ b/src/aare/daq/operations/mounting/service.py
@@ -152,6 +152,9 @@ class MountingService:
         self.ctx.deps.devs.tell.set_in_mount_position(True)
 
     def _unmount_current_sample(self, timeout: float = 60.0):
+        # Timeout here is reduced from the default 360s because an error should be caught by
+        # the retry handler later. If errors from this function are not propagated correctly
+        # (e.g. through _handle_operation_error) it may cause weird problems that appear as timeouts!
         self._prepare_mount_hardware()
         previous_sample = self.ctx.deps.cfg.current_sample
         if previous_sample is not None: