diff --git a/echopype/utils/prov.py b/echopype/utils/prov.py
index 43fdd7b97..fc34acbc0 100644
--- a/echopype/utils/prov.py
+++ b/echopype/utils/prov.py
@@ -206,7 +206,6 @@ def inner(self, *args, **kwargs):
                 func(self, *args, **kwargs)
                 processing_level = PROCESSING_LEVELS[processing_level_code]
                 self["Top-level"] = self["Top-level"].assign_attrs(_attrs_dict(processing_level))
-                return self
 
             return inner
         else: