diff --git a/dkist/conftest.py b/dkist/conftest.py
index 6d5485d5..71641ef7 100644
--- a/dkist/conftest.py
+++ b/dkist/conftest.py
@@ -94,8 +94,7 @@ def dataset(array, identity_gwcs):
     assert ds.data is array
     assert ds.wcs is identity_gwcs
 
-    ds._array_container = DaskFITSArrayContainer([ExternalArrayReference('test1.fits', 0, 'float', (10, 10)),
-                                                  ExternalArrayReference('test2.fits', 0, 'float', (10, 10))],
+    ds._array_container = DaskFITSArrayContainer([ExternalArrayReference('test1.fits', 0, 'float', array.shape)],
                                                 loader=AstropyFITSLoader)
 
     return ds
diff --git a/dkist/io/array_containers.py b/dkist/io/array_containers.py
index b6d1ec05..db523f13 100644
--- a/dkist/io/array_containers.py
+++ b/dkist/io/array_containers.py
@@ -45,7 +45,10 @@ def __init__(self, reference_array, *, loader, **kwargs):
         if reference_shape[0] == 1:
             reference_shape = reference_shape[1:]
 
-        self.shape = tuple(list(reference_array.shape) + list(reference_shape))
+        if len(reference_array) == 1:
+            self.shape = reference_shape
+        else:
+            self.shape = tuple(list(reference_array.shape) + list(reference_shape))
 
         loader_array = np.empty_like(reference_array, dtype=object)
         for i, ele in enumerate(reference_array.flat):