diff --git a/panama/read.py b/panama/read.py
index 220c011..89f828f 100644
--- a/panama/read.py
+++ b/panama/read.py
@@ -128,6 +128,16 @@ def read_DAT(
     if files is not None and glob is not None:
         raise TypeError("`file` and `glob` can't both be not None")
 
+    if not additional_columns:
+        if drop_non_particles:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "drop_non_particles requires additional_columns to be calculated."
+            )
+        if mother_columns:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "mother_columns require additional columns to be calculated"
+            )
+
     if glob is not None:
         basepath = Path(glob).parent
         files = list(basepath.glob(Path(glob).name))
@@ -409,10 +419,11 @@ def read_DAT(
                 )  # mother is muon (and in early generation)
             )
 
-        if drop_mothers:
-            df_particles.drop(
-                index=df_particles.query("is_mother == True").index.values, inplace=True
-            )
+    if drop_mothers:
+        df_particles.drop(
+            index=df_particles.query("particle_description < 0").index.values,
+            inplace=True,
+        )
 
         # Numba version...
         # df["mother_run_idx"], df["mother_event_idx"], df["mother_particle_idx"] = mother_idx_numba(df.loc[:, "is_mother"].values, df.loc[:, "run_number"].values, df.loc[:, "event_number"].values, df.loc[:, "particle_number"].values)
diff --git a/tests/test_read.py b/tests/test_read.py
index 233489c..7b8f9a2 100644
--- a/tests/test_read.py
+++ b/tests/test_read.py
@@ -20,21 +20,48 @@ def test_noparse(test_file_path=Path(__file__).parent / "files" / "DAT000000"):
     assert df_np.equals(df)
 
 
-def test_read_corsia_file(test_file_path=Path(__file__).parent / "files" / "DAT000000"):
-
-    df_run, df_event, df = panama.read_DAT(test_file_path, drop_non_particles=False)
-
-    with CorsikaParticleFile(test_file_path, parse_blocks=True) as cf:
+def check_eq(file, df_run, df_event, particles, skip_mother=False):
+    with CorsikaParticleFile(file, parse_blocks=True) as cf:
         num = 0
         for idx, event in enumerate(cf):
             assert df_event.iloc[idx]["total_energy"] == event.header["total_energy"]
             for particle in event.particles:
-                if particle["particle_description"] < 0:
+                if particle["particle_description"] < 0 and skip_mother:
                     continue
-                assert df.iloc[num]["px"] == particle["px"]
+                assert particles.iloc[num]["px"] == particle["px"]
                 num += 1
 
 
+def test_noadd(test_file_path=Path(__file__).parent / "files" / "DAT000000"):
+
+    try:
+        df_run, df_event, particles = panama.read_DAT(
+            test_file_path, drop_non_particles=True, additional_columns=False
+        )
+
+        check_eq(test_file_path, df_run, df_event, particles)
+    except ValueError as e:
+        assert "requires" in str(e)
+
+    df_run, df_event, particles = panama.read_DAT(
+        test_file_path, drop_non_particles=False, additional_columns=True
+    )
+
+    check_eq(test_file_path, df_run, df_event, particles, skip_mother=True)
+
+
+def test_read_corsia_file(test_file_path=Path(__file__).parent / "files" / "DAT000000"):
+
+    df_run, df_event, df = panama.read_DAT(test_file_path, drop_non_particles=False)
+
+    check_eq(test_file_path, df_run, df_event, df, skip_mother=True)
+    try:
+        check_eq(test_file_path, df_run, df_event, df, skip_mother=False)
+        assert False
+    except AssertionError:
+        pass
+
+
 def test_cli(tmp_path, test_file_path=Path(__file__).parent / "files" / "DAT000000"):
 
     runner = CliRunner()
@@ -50,17 +77,10 @@ def test_cli(tmp_path, test_file_path=Path(__file__).parent / "files" / "DAT0000
     assert result.exit_code == 0
 
     particles = pd.read_hdf(tmp_path / "output.hdf5", "particles")
-    event_headers = pd.read_hdf(tmp_path / "output.hdf5", "event_header")
+    event_header = pd.read_hdf(tmp_path / "output.hdf5", "event_header")
+    run_header = pd.read_hdf(tmp_path / "output.hdf5", "run_header")
 
-    with CorsikaParticleFile(test_file_path, parse_blocks=True) as cf:
-        num = 0
-        for idx, event in enumerate(cf):
-            assert (
-                event_headers.iloc[idx]["total_energy"] == event.header["total_energy"]
-            )
-            for particle in event.particles:
-                assert particles.iloc[num]["px"] == particle["px"]
-                num += 1
+    check_eq(test_file_path, run_header, event_header, particles)
 
 
 def test_spectral_index(test_file_path=Path(__file__).parent / "files" / "DAT*"):