diff --git a/dap/algos/jfdata.py b/dap/algos/jfdata.py
index 8588415..92bea4d 100644
--- a/dap/algos/jfdata.py
+++ b/dap/algos/jfdata.py
@@ -33,11 +33,14 @@ class JFData:
 
 
     def process(self, image, metadata, double_pixels):
-        return self.ju_stream_adapter.process(image, metadata, double_pixels=double_pixels)
+        data = self.ju_stream_adapter.process(image, metadata, double_pixels=double_pixels)
 
+        # the pedestal file is loaded in process(), this check needs to be afterwards
+        if not self.ju_stream_adapter.handler.pedestal_file:
+            return None
 
-    def has_pedestal_file(self):
-        return bool(self.ju_stream_adapter.handler.pedestal_file)
+        data = np.ascontiguousarray(data)
+        return data
 
 
     def get_pixel_mask(self, results, double_pixels):
diff --git a/dap/worker.py b/dap/worker.py
index ddb1f16..fca3b83 100644
--- a/dap/worker.py
+++ b/dap/worker.py
@@ -116,12 +116,9 @@ def work(backend_address, accumulator_host, accumulator_port, visualisation_host
 
         data = jfdata.process(image, metadata, double_pixels)
 
-        # the pedestal file is loaded in process(), this check needs to be afterwards
-        if not jfdata.has_pedestal_file():
+        if not data:
             continue
 
-        data = np.ascontiguousarray(data)
-
         pixel_mask_pf = jfdata.get_pixel_mask(results, double_pixels)
 
         if pixel_mask_pf is not None: