diff --git a/py/desispec/qa/qa_quicklook.py b/py/desispec/qa/qa_quicklook.py
index 1fa08c805..96fc3fa77 100644
--- a/py/desispec/qa/qa_quicklook.py
+++ b/py/desispec/qa/qa_quicklook.py
@@ -350,8 +350,8 @@ def run_qa(self,image,inputs):
         retval["PARAMS"]=param
 
         #get_outputs(qafile,qafig,retval,'plot_traceshifts')
-        outfile = qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-        log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        outfile = qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#        log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
         return retval
 
     def get_default_config(self):
@@ -475,9 +475,9 @@ def run_qa(self,image,inputs):
 
         ###############################################################
 
-        if qafile is not None:
-            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        if qafile is not None:
+#            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
         if qafig is not None:
             fig.plot_bias_overscan(retval,qafig,plotconf=plotconf,hardplots=hardplots)
             log.debug("Output QA fig {}".format(qafig))
@@ -693,9 +693,9 @@ def run_qa(self,image,inputs):
 
         ###############################################################
 
-        if qafile is not None:
-            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        if qafile is not None:
+#            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
         if qafig is not None:
             fig.plot_RMS(retval,qafig,plotconf=plotconf,hardplots=hardplots)
             log.debug("Output QA fig {}".format(qafig))
@@ -930,9 +930,9 @@ def run_qa(self,image,inputs):
 
         ###############################################################
 
-        if qafile is not None:
-            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        if qafile is not None:
+#            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
         if qafig is not None:
             fig.plot_XWSigma(retval,qafig,plotconf=plotconf,hardplots=hardplots)
             log.debug("Output QA fig {}".format(qafig))
@@ -1040,9 +1040,9 @@ def run_qa(self,image,inputs):
 
         ###############################################################
 
-        if qafile is not None:
-            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        if qafile is not None:
+#            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
         if qafig is not None:
             fig.plot_countpix(retval,qafig,plotconf=plotconf,hardplots=hardplots)
             log.debug("Output QA fig {}".format(qafig))
@@ -1175,9 +1175,9 @@ def run_qa(self,frame,inputs):
 
         ###############################################################
 
-        if qafile is not None:
-            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        if qafile is not None:
+#            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
         if qafig is not None:
             fig.plot_countspectralbins(retval,qafig,plotconf=plotconf,hardplots=hardplots)
             log.debug("Output QA fig {}".format(qafig))
@@ -1282,9 +1282,9 @@ def run_qa(self,frame,inputs):
 
         ###############################################################
 
-        if qafile is not None:
-            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        if qafile is not None:
+#            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
         if qafig is not None:
             fig.plot_sky_continuum(retval,qafig,plotconf=plotconf,hardplots=hardplots)
             log.debug("Output QA fig {}".format(qafig))
@@ -1428,9 +1428,9 @@ def run_qa(self,frame,inputs):
             zerorband=0.
             retval["METRICS"]={"SKYRBAND_FIB":zerospec,"SKYRBAND":zerorband}
 
-        if qafile is not None:
-            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        if qafile is not None:
+#            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
 
         return retval
 
@@ -1536,9 +1536,9 @@ def run_qa(self,frame,inputs):
 
         ###############################################################
 
-        if qafile is not None:
-            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        if qafile is not None:
+#            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
         if qafig is not None:
             fig.plot_sky_peaks(retval,qafig,plotconf=plotconf,hardplots=hardplots)
             log.debug("Output QA fig {}".format(qafig))
@@ -1645,9 +1645,9 @@ def run_qa(self,frame,skymodel,inputs):
 
         ###############################################################
 
-        if qafile is not None:
-            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        if qafile is not None:
+#            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
         if qafig is not None:
             fig.plot_residuals(retval,qafig,plotconf=plotconf,hardplots=hardplots)
             log.debug("Output QA fig {}".format(qafig))
@@ -1872,9 +1872,9 @@ def run_qa(self,frame,inputs):
 
         ###############################################################
 
-        if qafile is not None:
-            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        if qafile is not None:
+#            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
         if qafig is not None:
             fig.plot_integral(retval,qafig,plotconf=plotconf,hardplots=hardplots)
             log.debug("Output QA fig {}".format(qafig))
@@ -1995,9 +1995,9 @@ def run_qa(self,frame,inputs):
 
         ###############################################################
 
-        if qafile is not None:
-            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        if qafile is not None:
+#            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
         if qafig is not None:
             fig.plot_SNR(retval,qafig,objlist,fitsnr,rescut,sigmacut,plotconf=plotconf,hardplots=hardplots)
             log.debug("Output QA fig {}".format(qafig))
@@ -2117,9 +2117,9 @@ def run_qa(self,file_psf,inputs):
 
         ###############################################################
 
-        if qafile is not None:
-            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
-            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
+#        if qafile is not None:
+#            outfile=qa.write_qa_ql(qafile,retval)
+#            log.debug("Output QA data is in {}".format(outfile))
         if qafig is not None:
             fig.plot_lpolyhist(retval,qafig,plotconf=plotconf,hardplots=hardplots)
             log.debug("Output QA fig {}".format(qafig))
diff --git a/py/desispec/quicklook/qlconfig.py b/py/desispec/quicklook/qlconfig.py
index 25ad8ad5c..ab7f17648 100644
--- a/py/desispec/quicklook/qlconfig.py
+++ b/py/desispec/quicklook/qlconfig.py
@@ -248,19 +248,19 @@ def dump_qa(self):
         Name and default locations of files are handled by desispec.io.meta.findfile
         """
         #- QA level outputs
-        qa_outfile = {}
+        #qa_outfile = {}
         qa_outfig = {}
         for PA in self.palist:
             for QA in self.qalist[PA]:
-                qa_outfile[QA] = self.io_qa(QA)[0]
+                #qa_outfile[QA] = self.io_qa(QA)[0]
                 qa_outfig[QA] = self.io_qa(QA)[1]
                 
                 #- make path if needed
-                path = os.path.normpath(os.path.dirname(qa_outfile[QA]))
+                path = os.path.normpath(os.path.dirname(qa_outfig[QA]))
                 if not os.path.exists(path):
                     os.makedirs(path)
 
-        return (qa_outfile,qa_outfig)
+        return (qa_outfig)
 #        return ((qa_outfile,qa_outfig),(qa_pa_outfile,qa_pa_outfig))
 
     @property
@@ -273,8 +273,8 @@ def qaargs(self):
                 params=self._qaparams(qa)
                 qaopts[qa]={'night' : self.night, 'expid' : self.expid,
                             'camera': self.camera, 'paname': PA, 'PSFFile': self.psf_filename,
-                            'amps': self.amps, 'qafile': self.dump_qa()[0][qa],
-                            'qafig': self.dump_qa()[1][qa], 'FiberMap': self.fibermap,
+                            'amps': self.amps, #'qafile': self.dump_qa()[0][qa],
+                            'qafig': self.dump_qa()[qa], 'FiberMap': self.fibermap,
                             'param': params, 'refKey':self._qaRefKeys[qa],
                             'singleqa' : self.singqa,
                             'plotconf':self.plotconf, 'hardplots': self.hardplots