diff --git a/edosl0util/cli/rdrmerge.py b/edosl0util/cli/rdrmerge.py
index f6a3aeaebeac396cfd9cadbf58fe4ae023e9cd13..752bebafe4c52f748296ad377c814e5946a95445 100644
--- a/edosl0util/cli/rdrmerge.py
+++ b/edosl0util/cli/rdrmerge.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument("rdr", nargs="+", help="Any science rdr (RVIRS, RCRIS, RATMS)")
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
-    if not args.rdrs:
+    if not args.rdr:
         parser.exit(1, "no RDR's provided")
 
     for o in merge_rdrs(args.rdr):
diff --git a/edosl0util/jpssrdr.py b/edosl0util/jpssrdr.py
index b30ae498f2ca4d0a830f04623251b9097c773246..b96df74b4f523a8e91a91afa3a51d0a669987567 100644
--- a/edosl0util/jpssrdr.py
+++ b/edosl0util/jpssrdr.py
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ def decode_rdr_blob(buf):
 
 
 def rdr_datasets(filepath):
-    fobj = H5File(filepath)
+    fobj = H5File(filepath, mode='r')
     rdr = dict(
         telemetry=_rdrs_for_packet_dataset(_find_telemetry_group(fobj)),
         diagnostic=_rdrs_for_packet_dataset(_find_diag_group(fobj)),