diff --git a/python_source/backend/launchers.py b/python_source/backend/launchers.py
index 380a65c..2e3a010 100644
--- a/python_source/backend/launchers.py
+++ b/python_source/backend/launchers.py
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ def launchPrune(sample, binPath,
   else:
     minRadius = sample.minVoidRadius
 
-  volNormZobov, volNormObs = getVolNorm(sample)
+  volNormZobov, volNormObs = getVolNorm(outputDir)
 
   if not (continueRun and (jobSuccessful(logFile, "NetCDF: Not a valid ID\n") \
           or jobSuccessful(logFile, "Done!\n"))):
diff --git a/python_source/backend/surveyTools.py b/python_source/backend/surveyTools.py
index 45cee42..af1928c 100644
--- a/python_source/backend/surveyTools.py
+++ b/python_source/backend/surveyTools.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import healpy as healpy
 import os
 from backend import *
 from backend.cosmologyTools import *
+import pickle
 
 from netCDF4 import Dataset
 NetCDFFile = Dataset
@@ -101,9 +102,10 @@ def getSurveyProps(sample):
 # returns the volume normalization factors:
 #   normalization used by zobov (assumes cubmic volume)
 #   normalization used in galaxy survey volume for observations
-def getVolNorm(sample):
+def getVolNorm(sampleDir):
 
-    sampleDir = sample.outputDir
+    with open(sampleDir+"/sample_info.dat", 'rb') as input:
+      sample = pickle.load(input)
 
     infoFile = sampleDir+"/zobov_slice_"+sample.fullName+".par"
     File = NetCDFFile(infoFile, 'r')
diff --git a/python_source/vide_pipeline/__main__.py b/python_source/vide_pipeline/__main__.py
index 0e6ef0f..23411c4 100644
--- a/python_source/vide_pipeline/__main__.py
+++ b/python_source/vide_pipeline/__main__.py
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ from backend import *
 import voidUtil
 import imp
 import os
-import pickle
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ for sample in dataSampleList:
   sampleName = sample.fullName
 
   print(" Working with data set", sampleName, "...")
-  outputDir = workDir+"/sample_"+sampleName+"/"
+  outputDir = os.path.abspath(workDir+"/sample_"+sampleName) + "/"
   sample.outputDir = outputDir
 
   if not os.access(outputDir, os.F_OK):
diff --git a/python_source/voidUtil/catalogUtil.py b/python_source/voidUtil/catalogUtil.py
index 46dd523..fe2deb4 100644
--- a/python_source/voidUtil/catalogUtil.py
+++ b/python_source/voidUtil/catalogUtil.py
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ def loadVoidCatalog(sampleDir,
   catalog.ranges = ranges
   File.close()
 
-  volNormZobov, volNormObs = getVolNorm(sample)
+  volNormZobov, volNormObs = getVolNorm(sampleDir)
   catalog.volNormZobov = volNormZobov
   catalog.volNormObs = volNormObs