diff --git a/relecov_tools/sftp_handle.py b/relecov_tools/sftp_handle.py
index 7ca37c52b..c485149e2 100755
--- a/relecov_tools/sftp_handle.py
+++ b/relecov_tools/sftp_handle.py
@@ -202,7 +202,8 @@ def recursive_list(folder_name):
 
         if recursive:
             directory_list = recursive_list(folder_name)
-            directory_list.append(folder_name)
+            if folder_name != ".":
+                directory_list.append(folder_name)
             return directory_list
         try:
             directory_list = [
diff --git a/relecov_tools/upload_ena_protocol.py b/relecov_tools/upload_ena_protocol.py
index f85efc213..f965712db 100755
--- a/relecov_tools/upload_ena_protocol.py
+++ b/relecov_tools/upload_ena_protocol.py
@@ -232,9 +232,6 @@ def update_json(self, updated_schemas_df, json_data):
 
     def xml_submission(self, json_data, schemas_dataframe, batch_index=None):
         """The metadata is submitted in an xml format"""
-        import pdb
-
-        pdb.set_trace()
         schema_targets = extract_targets(self.action, schemas_dataframe)
 
         tool = self.config_json.get_configuration("ENA_fields")["tool"]
@@ -266,9 +263,7 @@ def xml_submission(self, json_data, schemas_dataframe, batch_index=None):
         schema_xmls["submission"] = submission_xml
 
         stderr.print(f"\nProcessing submission to ENA server: {self.url}")
-        import pdb
 
-        pdb.set_trace()
         receipt = send_schemas(schema_xmls, self.url, self.user, self.passwd).text
         if not os.path.exists(self.output_path):
             os.mkdir(self.output_path)
diff --git a/relecov_tools/utils.py b/relecov_tools/utils.py
index 88493fefd..8c3991d80 100755
--- a/relecov_tools/utils.py
+++ b/relecov_tools/utils.py
@@ -64,9 +64,12 @@ def read_excel_file(f_name, sheet_name, header_flag, leave_empty=True):
     """
     wb_file = openpyxl.load_workbook(f_name, data_only=True)
     ws_metadata_lab = wb_file[sheet_name]
-    heading_row = [
-        idx + 1 for idx, x in enumerate(ws_metadata_lab.values) if header_flag in x
-    ][0]
+    try:
+        heading_row = [
+            idx + 1 for idx, x in enumerate(ws_metadata_lab.values) if header_flag in x
+        ][0]
+    except IndexError:
+        raise KeyError(f"Header flag '{header_flag}' could not be found in {f_name}")
     heading = [str(i.value).strip() for i in ws_metadata_lab[heading_row] if i.value]
     ws_data = []
     for row in islice(ws_metadata_lab.values, heading_row, ws_metadata_lab.max_row):