diff --git a/video_prediction_tools/utils/general_utils.py b/video_prediction_tools/utils/general_utils.py
index 73d0366ea89f85f81a23ed17e61c5873f3cad812..65a25c43e803abc4240edd2e6c4184420a5b0722 100644
--- a/video_prediction_tools/utils/general_utils.py
+++ b/video_prediction_tools/utils/general_utils.py
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ Provides:   * get_unique_vars
             * check_dir
             * reduce_dict
             * provide_default
-            * get_era5_atts
 """
 
 # import modules
diff --git a/video_prediction_tools/utils/netcdf_datahandling.py b/video_prediction_tools/utils/netcdf_datahandling.py
index 210b3e2e931f899f467e2592f02f0122541d5bd3..a54ce027ea560bf3966a708325ce375bc17acb30 100644
--- a/video_prediction_tools/utils/netcdf_datahandling.py
+++ b/video_prediction_tools/utils/netcdf_datahandling.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ __date__ = "2021-03-26"
 import os
 import numpy as np
 import xarray as xr
-from general_utils import is_integer, add_str_to_path, check_str_in_list, isw
+from general_utils import is_integer, add_str_to_path, check_str_in_list, isw, provide_default
 
 # auxiliary function that is not generic enough to be placed in NetcdfUtils