diff --git a/python/lsst/ap/association/mpSkyEphemerisQuery.py b/python/lsst/ap/association/mpSkyEphemerisQuery.py
index 210783cd..59f2523a 100644
--- a/python/lsst/ap/association/mpSkyEphemerisQuery.py
+++ b/python/lsst/ap/association/mpSkyEphemerisQuery.py
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class MPSkyEphemerisQueryTask(PipelineTask):
 
     def runQuantum(self, butlerQC, inputRefs, outputRefs):
         inputs = butlerQC.get(inputRefs)
-        inputs["visit"] = butlerQC.quantum.dataId["visit"]
+        # inputs["group"] = butlerQC.quantum.dataId["group"]
 
         outputs = self.run(**inputs)
 
@@ -187,39 +187,40 @@ def _MPSkyConeSearch(self, expCenter, epochMJD, queryRadius):
         try:
             response = requests.get(self.config.MPSkyURL, params=params)
             response.raise_for_status()
+            with pa.input_stream(memoryview(response.content)) as fp:
+                fp.seek(0)
+                p = pa.ipc.read_tensor(fp)
+                op = pa.ipc.read_tensor(fp)
+                op, p = op, p
+                with pa.ipc.open_stream(fp) as reader:
+                    r = next(reader)
+
+            ObjID = r["name"].to_numpy(zero_copy_only=False)
+            ra = r["ra"].to_numpy()
+            dec = r["dec"].to_numpy()
+
+            # ObjID, ra, dec, obj_poly, obs_poly = mpsky.query_service('https://sky.dirac.dev/ephemerides/',
+            # epochMJD, fieldRA, fieldDec, queryRadius)
+
+            MPSkySsObjects = pd.DataFrame()
+            MPSkySsObjects['ObjID'] = ObjID
+            MPSkySsObjects['ra'] = ra
+            MPSkySsObjects['dec'] = dec
+            MPSkySsObjects['obj_poly'] = list(np.zeros((len(MPSkySsObjects), 5)))  # fix, eventually
+            MPSkySsObjects['obs_poly'] = list(np.zeros((len(MPSkySsObjects), 5)))  # fix, eventually
+            MPSkySsObjects['Err(arcsec)'] = 2
+            MPSkySsObjects['ssObjectId'] = [abs(hash(v)) for v in MPSkySsObjects['ObjID'].values]
+            nFound = len(MPSkySsObjects)
+
+            if nFound == 0:
+                self.log.info("No Solar System objects found for visit.")
+
+            self.log.info("%d Solar System Objects in visit", nFound)
         except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError as e:
             print("failed to connect to the remote ephemerides service. details:", file=sys.stderr)
             print(e, file=sys.stderr)
-            exit(-1)
-
-        with pa.input_stream(memoryview(response.content)) as fp:
-            fp.seek(0)
-            p = pa.ipc.read_tensor(fp)
-            op = pa.ipc.read_tensor(fp)
-            op, p = op, p
-            with pa.ipc.open_stream(fp) as reader:
-                r = next(reader)
-
-        ObjID = r["name"].to_numpy(zero_copy_only=False)
-        ra = r["ra"].to_numpy()
-        dec = r["dec"].to_numpy()
-
-        # ObjID, ra, dec, obj_poly, obs_poly = mpsky.query_service('https://sky.dirac.dev/ephemerides/',
-        #                                                         epochMJD, fieldRA, fieldDec, queryRadius)
-
-        MPSkySsObjects = pd.DataFrame()
-        MPSkySsObjects['ObjID'] = ObjID
-        MPSkySsObjects['ra'] = ra
-        MPSkySsObjects['dec'] = dec
-        MPSkySsObjects['obj_poly'] = list(np.zeros((len(MPSkySsObjects), 5)))  # fix, eventually
-        MPSkySsObjects['obs_poly'] = list(np.zeros((len(MPSkySsObjects), 5)))  # fix, eventually
-        MPSkySsObjects['Err(arcsec)'] = 2
-        MPSkySsObjects['ssObjectId'] = [abs(hash(v)) for v in MPSkySsObjects['ObjID'].values]
-        nFound = len(MPSkySsObjects)
-
-        if nFound == 0:
-            self.log.info("No Solar System objects found for visit.")
-
-        self.log.info("%d Solar System Objects in visit", nFound)
+            MPSkySsObjects = pd.DataFrame(
+                columns=['ObjID', 'ra', 'dec', 'obj_poly', 'obs_poly',
+                         'Err(arcsec)', 'ssObjectId'])
 
         return MPSkySsObjects