diff --git a/src/remoting/python-remoting/nexus_remoting/_encoder.py b/src/remoting/python-remoting/nexus_remoting/_encoder.py
index f559f6c..002ce99 100644
--- a/src/remoting/python-remoting/nexus_remoting/_encoder.py
+++ b/src/remoting/python-remoting/nexus_remoting/_encoder.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ def _try_encode(value: Any, options: JsonEncoderOptions) -> Any:
 
         # None
         if value is None:
-            return typing.cast(T, None)
+            return None
 
         # list/tuple
         elif isinstance(value, list) or isinstance(value, tuple):
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ def _decode_timedelta(value: str):
         seconds = int(match.group(4))
         microseconds = int(match.group(5)) / 10.0 if match.group(5) else 0
 
-        return typing.cast(T, timedelta(days=days, hours=hours, minutes=minutes, seconds=seconds, microseconds=microseconds))
+        return timedelta(days=days, hours=hours, minutes=minutes, seconds=seconds, microseconds=microseconds)
 
     else:
         raise Exception(f"Unable to decode {value} into value of type timedelta.")
diff --git a/tests/Nexus.Sources.Remote.Tests/python/remote.py b/tests/Nexus.Sources.Remote.Tests/python/remote.py
index 92f3337..a14e751 100644
--- a/tests/Nexus.Sources.Remote.Tests/python/remote.py
+++ b/tests/Nexus.Sources.Remote.Tests/python/remote.py
@@ -15,13 +15,20 @@
 
 class PythonDataSource(IDataSource):
     
+    _root: str
+
     async def set_context(self, context, logger):
         
         self._context: DataSourceContext = context
 
+        if (context.resource_locator is None or context.resource_locator.path is None):
+            raise Exception(f"No resource locator provided.")
+
         if (context.resource_locator.scheme != "file"):
             raise Exception(f"Expected 'file' URI scheme, but got '{context.resource_locator.scheme}'.")
 
+        self._root = context.resource_locator.path
+
         logger.log(LogLevel.Information, "Logging works!")
 
     async def get_catalog_registrations(self, path: str):
@@ -85,7 +92,7 @@ async def get_time_range(self, catalog_id: str):
         if catalog_id != "/A/B/C":
             raise Exception("Unknown catalog identifier.")
 
-        file_paths = glob.glob(url2pathname(self._context.resource_locator.path) + "/**/*.dat", recursive=True)
+        file_paths = glob.glob(url2pathname(self._root) + "/**/*.dat", recursive=True)
         file_names = [os.path.basename(file_path) for file_path in file_paths]
         date_times = sorted([datetime.strptime(fileName, '%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S.dat') for fileName in file_names])
         begin = date_times[0].replace(tzinfo = timezone.utc)
@@ -100,7 +107,7 @@ async def get_availability(self, catalog_id: str, begin: datetime, end: datetime
 
         period_per_file = timedelta(minutes = 10)
         max_file_count = (end - begin).total_seconds() / period_per_file.total_seconds()
-        file_paths = glob.glob(url2pathname(self._context.resource_locator.path) + "/**/*.dat", recursive=True)
+        file_paths = glob.glob(url2pathname(self._root) + "/**/*.dat", recursive=True)
         file_names = [os.path.basename(file_path) for file_path in file_paths]
         date_times = [datetime.strptime(fileName, '%Y-%m-%d_%H-%M-%S.dat') for fileName in file_names]
         filtered_date_times = [current for current in date_times if current >= begin and current < end]
@@ -152,7 +159,7 @@ async def _read_local_files(
             while current_begin < end:
 
                 # find files
-                search_pattern = url2pathname(self._context.resource_locator.path) + \
+                search_pattern = url2pathname(self._root) + \
                     f"/{current_begin.strftime('%Y-%m')}/{current_begin.strftime('%Y-%m-%d')}/*.dat"
 
                 file_paths = glob.glob(search_pattern, recursive=True)