diff --git a/tardis/io/util.py b/tardis/io/util.py
index 6bbbd3b935e..319aebb4ca5 100644
--- a/tardis/io/util.py
+++ b/tardis/io/util.py
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def yaml_load_file(filename, loader=yaml.Loader):
         return yaml.load(stream, Loader=loader)
 
 
-def parse_species_list(self, species_list, packets_mode, nelements=None):
+def parse_species_list(sdec_plotter, data, species_list, packets_mode, nelements=None):
         """
         Parse user requested species list and create list of species ids to be used.
 
@@ -159,14 +159,14 @@ def parse_species_list(self, species_list, packets_mode, nelements=None):
             If species list contains invalid entries.
 
         """
-        self.sdec_plotter.parse_species_list(species_list)
-        self._species_list = self.sdec_plotter._species_list
-        self._species_mapped = self.sdec_plotter._species_mapped
-        self._keep_colour = self.sdec_plotter._keep_colour
+        sdec_plotter.parse_species_list(species_list)
+        _species_list = sdec_plotter._species_list
+        _species_mapped = sdec_plotter._species_mapped
+        _keep_colour = sdec_plotter._keep_colour
 
         if nelements:
             interaction_counts = (
-                self.data[packets_mode]
+                data[packets_mode]
                 .packets_df_line_interaction["last_line_interaction_species"]
                 .value_counts()
             )
@@ -179,8 +179,14 @@ def parse_species_list(self, species_list, packets_mode, nelements=None):
                 atomic_number2element_symbol(element)
                 for element in top_elements
             ]
-            self.parse_species_list(top_species_list, packets_mode)
-            
+            sub_species_list, sub_species_mapped, sub_keep_colour = parse_species_list(
+            sdec_plotter, data, top_species_list, packets_mode
+            )
+            _species_list = sub_species_list
+            _species_mapped = sub_species_mapped
+            _keep_colour = sub_keep_colour
+
+        return _species_list, _species_mapped, _keep_colour       
             
 def traverse_configs(base, other, func, *args):
     """
diff --git a/tardis/visualization/tools/liv_plot.py b/tardis/visualization/tools/liv_plot.py
index cd7b40a466d..723775d0893 100644
--- a/tardis/visualization/tools/liv_plot.py
+++ b/tardis/visualization/tools/liv_plot.py
@@ -254,7 +254,13 @@ def _prepare_plot_data(
                 f"{atomic_number2element_symbol(specie // 100)}"
                 for specie in species_in_model
             ]
-        self._species_list, self._species_mapped = parse_species_list(species_list, packets_mode, nelements)
+        self._species_list, self._species_mapped, self._keep_colour = parse_species_list(
+            sdec_plotter=self.sdec_plotter,
+            data=self.data,
+            species_list=species_list,
+            packets_mode=packets_mode,
+            nelements=nelements,
+        )
         species_in_model = np.unique(
             self.data[packets_mode]
             .packets_df_line_interaction["last_line_interaction_species"]
diff --git a/tardis/visualization/tools/tests/test_liv_plot.py b/tardis/visualization/tools/tests/test_liv_plot.py
index 52948de9833..b13de734167 100644
--- a/tardis/visualization/tools/tests/test_liv_plot.py
+++ b/tardis/visualization/tools/tests/test_liv_plot.py
@@ -125,11 +125,22 @@ def test_parse_species_list(
         attribute: The attribute to test after parsing the species list.
         """
         regression_data = RegressionData(request)
-        parse_species_list(
-            packets_mode=self.packets_mode[0],
-            species_list=self.species_list[0],
-            nelements=self.nelements[0],
+        
+        packets_mode=self.packets_mode[0]
+        species_list=self.species_list[0]
+        nelements=self.nelements[0]
+        
+        species_list_parsed, species_mapped, keep_colour = parse_species_list(
+            sdec_plotter=plotter.sdec_plotter,
+            data=plotter.data,
+            species_list=species_list,
+            packets_mode=packets_mode,
+            nelements=nelements,
         )
+        plotter._species_list = species_list_parsed
+        plotter._species_mapped = species_mapped
+        plotter._keep_colour = keep_colour
+        
         if attribute == "_species_mapped":
             plot_object = getattr(plotter, attribute)
             plot_object = [