diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index e8bc476..af64c1a 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Package: GiottoVisuals
 Title: Visuals for the Giotto spatial biology analysis ecosystem
-Version: 0.2.4
+Version: 0.2.5
 Authors@R: c(
 	person("Ruben", "Dries", email = "rubendries@gmail.com",
 		 role = c("aut", "cre"), comment = c(ORCID = "0000-0001-7650-7754")),
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index cc7ab2e..8c957d7 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 
-# GiottoVisuals 0.2.4 
+# GiottoVisuals 0.2.5
+
+
+
+# GiottoVisuals 0.2.4 (2024/07/26)
 
 ## enhancements
 - `giottoLargeImage` `max_window` and `colors` slot info is now followed during ggplot plotting
diff --git a/R/aux_output.R b/R/aux_output.R
index 24a3031..cd05191 100644
--- a/R/aux_output.R
+++ b/R/aux_output.R
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@
 #' @examples
 #' g <- GiottoData::loadGiottoMini("vizgen")
 #' g_spatplot <- spatPlot2D(g, return_plot = TRUE)
-#' 
+#'
 #' plot_output_handler(g, plot_object = g_spatplot, save_plot = FALSE)
-#' 
+#'
 #' @export
 plot_output_handler <- function(
         gobject,
@@ -44,18 +44,10 @@ plot_output_handler <- function(
     # IF setting is NULL then the appropriate setting from gobject instructions
     # will be checked and used.
     # IF setting is NOT NULL then the provided value will be used directly.
-    show_plot <- ifelse(is.null(show_plot),
-        readGiottoInstructions(gobject, param = "show_plot"),
-        show_plot
-    )
-    save_plot <- ifelse(is.null(save_plot),
-        readGiottoInstructions(gobject, param = "save_plot"),
-        save_plot
-    )
-    return_plot <- ifelse(is.null(return_plot),
-        readGiottoInstructions(gobject, param = "return_plot"),
-        return_plot
-    )
+    show_plot <- show_plot %null% instructions(gobject, param = "show_plot")
+    save_plot <- save_plot %null% instructions(gobject, param = "save_plot")
+    return_plot <- return_plot %null%
+        instructions(gobject, param = "return_plot")
 
 
     ## print plot ##
@@ -67,7 +59,7 @@ plot_output_handler <- function(
     if (save_plot) {
         checkmate::assert_character(default_save_name)
         checkmate::assert_list(save_param)
-        
+
         do.call(
             "all_plots_save_function",
             c(
@@ -103,9 +95,9 @@ plot_output_handler <- function(
 #     checkmate::assert_class(gobject, 'giotto')
 #     checkmate::assert_character(default_save_name)
 #     checkmate::assert_list(save_param)
-#     
+#
 #     instr = instructions(gobject)
-#     
+#
 #     ## output settings detection ##
 #     # IF setting is NA then the appropriate setting from gobject instructions
 #     # will be checked and used.
@@ -121,12 +113,12 @@ plot_output_handler <- function(
 
 # plot_output_handler_do = function(gplot_out) {
 #     checkmate::assert_class(gplot_out, 'giottoPlotOutput')
-#     
+#
 #     ## print plot ##
 #     if(gplot_out$show_plot) {
 #         print(gplot_out$plot_object)
 #     }
-#     
+#
 #     ## save plot ##
 #     if(gplot_out$save_plot) {
 #         do.call('all_plots_save_function',
@@ -136,7 +128,7 @@ plot_output_handler <- function(
 #                   save_param)
 #         )
 #     }
-#     
+#
 #     ## return plot ##
 #     if(return_plot) {
 #         invisible(return(plot_object))