diff --git a/src/ossos-pipeline/ossos/gui/models/imagemanager.py b/src/ossos-pipeline/ossos/gui/models/imagemanager.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/src/ossos-pipeline/ossos/gui/models/imagemanager.py
+++ b/src/ossos-pipeline/ossos/gui/models/imagemanager.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import time
+
 __author__ = "David Rusk <drusk@uvic.ca>"
 
 from ossos.gui import events, logger
@@ -63,11 +65,15 @@ class ImageManager(object):
             )
 
     def get_cutout(self, reading):
+        if reading is None:
+            raise KeyError("Bad Reading")
         try:
             return self._cutouts[reading]
         except KeyError as err:
-            logger.info(str(err)+str(reading))
-            raise ImageNotLoadedException(reading)
+            print "Image {} not yet available. retrying in 3 seconds.".format(reading)
+            time.sleep(3)
+            self.download_singlet_for_reading(reading, focus=None, needs_apcor=True)
+            return self.get_cutout(reading)
 
     def download_triplets_for_workunit(self, workunit):
         if workunit in self._workunits_downloaded_for_triplets:
added some feedback when application is waiting for file from VOS.