diff --git a/src/aare/daq/daq.py b/src/aare/daq/daq.py
index b7a792a1..476fca10 100644
--- a/src/aare/daq/daq.py
+++ b/src/aare/daq/daq.py
@@ -979,7 +979,10 @@ class AareDAQ:
             },
         )
         logger.warning("cleaning up detector state after failed operation...")
-        self._jfjoch.cancel(wait_for_done=True)
+        try:
+            self._jfjoch.cancel()
+        except JFJochCommunicationError as e:
+            logger.error(f"Failure sending cancellation to jfjoch: {e}")
 
         if sample is None or sample_id is None:
             logger.error(f"Error in {operation.value}: {error}")
@@ -3093,14 +3096,13 @@ class AareDAQ:
         """
         Return (sample, tell_connected, tell_error) without raising.
         """
+        sample = self._cfg.current_sample
         try:
-            return self.sync_current_sample_from_tell(), True, None
+            self._devs.tell.get_state()
+            tell_connected, tell_error = True, None
         except TellCommunicationError as e:
-            return self._cfg.current_sample, False, str(e)
-        except Exception as e:
-            logger.warning(f"error in status sample info call: {e}", exc_info=True)
-            # Keep status flowing even if Tell code throws something unexpected
-            return self._cfg.current_sample, 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]:
         aerotech_ok = True
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:
diff --git a/src/aare/devices/jfjoch.py b/src/aare/devices/jfjoch.py
index f6671a4d..063198eb 100644
--- a/src/aare/devices/jfjoch.py
+++ b/src/aare/devices/jfjoch.py
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ class JFJochWrapper:
             ) from e
 
     @needs_init
-    def cancel(self, on_init: bool = False, wait_for_done: bool = False):
+    def cancel(self, on_init: bool = False):
         try:
             self._api.cancel_post()
         except Exception as e:
@@ -124,8 +124,6 @@ class JFJochWrapper:
                 operation="POST",
                 endpoint="cancel_post",
             ) from e
-        if wait_for_done:
-            self._api.wait_till_done_post(1)
 
     @needs_init
     def is_idle(self) -> bool: