diff --git a/pkg/report/output/dataflow/formatter.go b/pkg/report/output/dataflow/formatter.go
index afbb7f26a..cc85a70c7 100644
--- a/pkg/report/output/dataflow/formatter.go
+++ b/pkg/report/output/dataflow/formatter.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package dataflow
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-
 	"github.com/bearer/bearer/pkg/commands/process/settings"
 	"github.com/bearer/bearer/pkg/flag"
 	outputtypes "github.com/bearer/bearer/pkg/report/output/types"
@@ -24,11 +22,9 @@ func NewFormatter(reportData *outputtypes.ReportData, config settings.Config) *F
 func (f Formatter) Format(format string) (output *string, err error) {
 	switch format {
 	case flag.FormatEmpty, flag.FormatJSON:
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportJSON(f.ReportData.Dataflow)
+		return outputhandler.ReportJSON(f.ReportData.Dataflow)
 	case flag.FormatYAML:
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportYAML(f.ReportData.Dataflow)
-	default:
-		err = fmt.Errorf(`--report flag "%s" is not supported`, f.Config.Report.Report)
+		return outputhandler.ReportYAML(f.ReportData.Dataflow)
 	}
 
 	return output, err
diff --git a/pkg/report/output/detectors/formatter.go b/pkg/report/output/detectors/formatter.go
index 96f2aae66..b7d54d540 100644
--- a/pkg/report/output/detectors/formatter.go
+++ b/pkg/report/output/detectors/formatter.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package detectors
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-
 	"github.com/bearer/bearer/pkg/commands/process/settings"
 	"github.com/bearer/bearer/pkg/flag"
 	outputtypes "github.com/bearer/bearer/pkg/report/output/types"
@@ -24,11 +22,9 @@ func NewFormatter(reportData *outputtypes.ReportData, config settings.Config) *F
 func (f Formatter) Format(format string) (output *string, err error) {
 	switch format {
 	case flag.FormatEmpty, flag.FormatJSON:
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportJSON(f.ReportData.Detectors)
+		return outputhandler.ReportJSON(f.ReportData.Detectors)
 	case flag.FormatYAML:
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportYAML(f.ReportData.Detectors)
-	default:
-		err = fmt.Errorf(`--report flag "%s" is not supported`, f.Config.Report.Report)
+		return outputhandler.ReportYAML(f.ReportData.Detectors)
 	}
 
 	return output, err
diff --git a/pkg/report/output/output.go b/pkg/report/output/output.go
index 32426a5dc..ffc0d2b0d 100644
--- a/pkg/report/output/output.go
+++ b/pkg/report/output/output.go
@@ -34,22 +34,19 @@ func GetData(
 	data := &types.ReportData{}
 	// add detectors
 	err := detectors.AddReportData(data, report, config)
-	if config.Report.Report == flag.ReportDetectors {
+	if config.Report.Report == flag.ReportDetectors || err != nil {
 		return data, err
 	}
 
-	if config.Report.Report == flag.ReportDataFlow {
-		err = GetDataflow(data, report, config, false)
-		return data, err
-	}
-
-	// add dataflow to data for internal use
-	if err = GetDataflow(data, report, config, true); err != nil {
+	// add dataflow to data
+	if err = GetDataflow(data, report, config, config.Report.Report == flag.ReportDataFlow); err != nil {
 		return data, err
 	}
 
 	// add report-specific items
 	switch config.Report.Report {
+	case flag.ReportDataFlow:
+		return data, err
 	case flag.ReportSecurity:
 		sendToCloud = true
 		err = security.AddReportData(data, config, baseBranchFindings)
@@ -113,5 +110,13 @@ func FormatOutput(
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf(`--report flag "%s" is not supported`, config.Report.Report)
 	}
 
-	return formatter.Format(config.Report.Format)
+	formatStr, err := formatter.Format(config.Report.Format)
+	if err != nil {
+		return formatStr, err
+	}
+	if formatStr == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf(`--report flag "%s" does not support --format flag "%s"`, config.Report.Report, config.Report.Format)
+	}
+
+	return formatStr, err
 }
diff --git a/pkg/report/output/privacy/formatter.go b/pkg/report/output/privacy/formatter.go
index 3306bc932..71fa6fe8f 100644
--- a/pkg/report/output/privacy/formatter.go
+++ b/pkg/report/output/privacy/formatter.go
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ func (f Formatter) Format(format string) (output *string, err error) {
 		csvStr := stringBuilder.String()
 		output = &csvStr
 	case flag.FormatJSON:
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportJSON(f.ReportData.PrivacyReport)
+		return outputhandler.ReportJSON(f.ReportData.PrivacyReport)
 	case flag.FormatYAML:
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportYAML(f.ReportData.PrivacyReport)
+		return outputhandler.ReportYAML(f.ReportData.PrivacyReport)
 	case flag.FormatHTML:
 		title := "Privacy Report"
 		body, err := html.ReportPrivacyHTML(f.ReportData.PrivacyReport)
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@ func (f Formatter) Format(format string) (output *string, err error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			return output, fmt.Errorf("could not generate html page %s", err)
 		}
-	default:
-		err = fmt.Errorf(`--report flag "%s" is not supported`, f.Config.Report.Report)
 	}
 
 	return output, err
diff --git a/pkg/report/output/saas/formatter.go b/pkg/report/output/saas/formatter.go
index 75604d223..4da616db7 100644
--- a/pkg/report/output/saas/formatter.go
+++ b/pkg/report/output/saas/formatter.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package saas
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-
 	"github.com/bearer/bearer/pkg/commands/process/settings"
 	"github.com/bearer/bearer/pkg/flag"
 	outputtypes "github.com/bearer/bearer/pkg/report/output/types"
@@ -24,11 +22,9 @@ func NewFormatter(reportData *outputtypes.ReportData, config settings.Config) *F
 func (f Formatter) Format(format string) (output *string, err error) {
 	switch format {
 	case flag.FormatEmpty, flag.FormatJSON:
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportJSON(f.ReportData.SaasReport)
+		return outputhandler.ReportJSON(f.ReportData.SaasReport)
 	case flag.FormatYAML:
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportYAML(f.ReportData.SaasReport)
-	default:
-		err = fmt.Errorf(`--report flag "%s" is not supported`, f.Config.Report.Report)
+		return outputhandler.ReportYAML(f.ReportData.SaasReport)
 	}
 
 	return output, err
diff --git a/pkg/report/output/security/formatter.go b/pkg/report/output/security/formatter.go
index de31665df..86de47ab2 100644
--- a/pkg/report/output/security/formatter.go
+++ b/pkg/report/output/security/formatter.go
@@ -43,23 +43,23 @@ func (f Formatter) Format(format string) (output *string, err error) {
 		if sarifErr != nil {
 			return output, fmt.Errorf("error generating sarif report %s", sarifErr)
 		}
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportJSON(sarifContent)
+		return outputhandler.ReportJSON(sarifContent)
 	case flag.FormatReviewDog:
 		sastContent, reviewdogErr := reviewdog.ReportReviewdog(f.ReportData.FindingsBySeverity)
 		if reviewdogErr != nil {
 			return output, fmt.Errorf("error generating reviewdog report %s", reviewdogErr)
 		}
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportJSON(sastContent)
+		return outputhandler.ReportJSON(sastContent)
 	case flag.FormatGitLabSast:
 		sastContent, sastErr := gitlab.ReportGitLab(f.ReportData.FindingsBySeverity, f.StartTime, f.EndTime)
 		if sastErr != nil {
 			return output, fmt.Errorf("error generating gitlab-sast report %s", sastErr)
 		}
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportJSON(sastContent)
+		return outputhandler.ReportJSON(sastContent)
 	case flag.FormatJSON:
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportJSON(f.ReportData.FindingsBySeverity)
+		return outputhandler.ReportJSON(f.ReportData.FindingsBySeverity)
 	case flag.FormatYAML:
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportYAML(f.ReportData.FindingsBySeverity)
+		return outputhandler.ReportYAML(f.ReportData.FindingsBySeverity)
 	case flag.FormatHTML:
 		title := "Security Report"
 		body, securityErr := html.ReportSecurityHTML(f.ReportData.FindingsBySeverity)
@@ -71,8 +71,6 @@ func (f Formatter) Format(format string) (output *string, err error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			err = fmt.Errorf("could not generate html page %s", err)
 		}
-	default:
-		err = fmt.Errorf(`--report flag "%s" is not supported`, f.Config.Report.Report)
 	}
 
 	return output, err
diff --git a/pkg/report/output/stats/formatter.go b/pkg/report/output/stats/formatter.go
index 948840932..e7d315d5c 100644
--- a/pkg/report/output/stats/formatter.go
+++ b/pkg/report/output/stats/formatter.go
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 package stats
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
-
 	"github.com/bearer/bearer/pkg/commands/process/settings"
 	"github.com/bearer/bearer/pkg/flag"
 	outputtypes "github.com/bearer/bearer/pkg/report/output/types"
@@ -24,11 +22,9 @@ func NewFormatter(reportData *outputtypes.ReportData, config settings.Config) *F
 func (f Formatter) Format(format string) (output *string, err error) {
 	switch format {
 	case flag.FormatEmpty, flag.FormatJSON:
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportJSON(f.ReportData.Stats)
+		return outputhandler.ReportJSON(f.ReportData.Stats)
 	case flag.FormatYAML:
-		output, err = outputhandler.ReportYAML(f.ReportData.Stats)
-	default:
-		err = fmt.Errorf(`--report flag "%s" is not supported`, f.Config.Report.Report)
+		return outputhandler.ReportYAML(f.ReportData.Stats)
 	}
 
 	return output, err