diff --git a/terragon/copernicus_data_space_ecosystem.py b/terragon/copernicus_data_space_ecosystem.py
index 460a500..4b3da2b 100644
--- a/terragon/copernicus_data_space_ecosystem.py
+++ b/terragon/copernicus_data_space_ecosystem.py
@@ -203,7 +203,9 @@ def _get_pages(self, data):
         for i in range(1, 100):
             _data = data.copy()
             _data["page"] = i
-            page = requests.post(urljoin(self.base_url, "search"), json=_data).json()
+            response = requests.post(urljoin(self.base_url, "search"), json=_data)
+            response.raise_for_status()
+            page = response.json()
 
             if "features" not in page:
                 raise ValueError(f"There was an error with the request: {page}")
@@ -212,7 +214,7 @@ def _get_pages(self, data):
             else:
                 items.extend(page["features"])
 
-            if i == 100:
+            if i == 99:
                 raise ValueError(
                     "Max number of pages reached. Consider using a smaller time frame."
                 )
@@ -501,7 +503,7 @@ def _download_file_rasterio(self, f_path, shp, resampling):
             aws_secret_access_key=self.credentials["aws_secret_access_key"],
         )
         with rasterio.env.Env(session=session, AWS_VIRTUAL_HOSTING=False):
-            clipped = self._clip_to_region("s3://eodata/" + str(f_path), shp, resampling)
+            clipped = self._clip_to_region("s3://eodata/" + f_path.as_posix(), shp, resampling)
             return clipped
 
     def _download_file_tile(self, f_path, shp, resampling):
@@ -516,7 +518,7 @@ def _download_file_tile(self, f_path, shp, resampling):
                 region_name="default",
             ).resource("s3", endpoint_url=self.end_point_url)
 
-            _s3.Bucket("eodata").download_file(str(f_path), download_path)
+            _s3.Bucket("eodata").download_file(f_path.as_posix(), download_path)
 
         # clip to shp
         clipped = self._clip_to_region(download_path, shp, resampling)
@@ -571,7 +573,7 @@ def _get_asset_path(self, item, collection, band, resolution, filter_asset_path)
         # apply regex path filters
         if filter_asset_path and collection in filter_asset_path:
             pattern = re.compile(filter_asset_path[collection])
-            paths = [path for path in paths if re.search(pattern, str(path))]
+            paths = [path for path in paths if re.search(pattern, path.as_posix())]
             if len(paths) == 0:
                 raise RuntimeError(
                     "There are no files matching the filter_asset_path: ",
@@ -618,16 +620,15 @@ def _clip_to_region(self, file, shp, resampling):
                     shp_crs.bounds.maxy.item() + margin[1],
                 )
                 gdf = gpd.GeoDataFrame(geometry=[shapely_box], crs=src_crs)
-                ds = ds.rio.clip_box(*list(gdf.total_bounds))
+                clipped = ds.rio.clip_box(*list(gdf.total_bounds))
                 # then reproject to shp crs
-                ds = ds.rio.reproject(shp.crs, resampling=resampling)
-                ds = ds.rio.clip_box(*list(shp.total_bounds))
+                clipped = clipped.rio.reproject(shp.crs, resampling=resampling)
+                clipped = clipped.rio.clip_box(*list(shp.total_bounds))
             else:
-                ds = ds.rio.clip_box(*list(shp.total_bounds))
-            ds.load()
+                clipped = ds.rio.clip_box(*list(shp.total_bounds))
+            clipped.load()
             ds.close()
+            return clipped
         except rxr.exceptions.NoDataInBounds:
             warnings.warn("No data found in bounds.")
-            ds = None
-
-        return ds
+            return None
diff --git a/tests/copernicus_data_space_ecosystem.py b/tests/copernicus_data_space_ecosystem.py
index 5957f47..44061a2 100644
--- a/tests/copernicus_data_space_ecosystem.py
+++ b/tests/copernicus_data_space_ecosystem.py
@@ -29,6 +29,19 @@ def test_error_on_no_band(self):
         args["bands"] = []
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, self.tg.create, **args)
 
+    def test_not_using_rasterio_virt_env(self):
+        """test when the rasterio environment is not used"""
+        args = self.arguments.copy()
+        args["bands"] = ["B02"]
+        args["use_virtual_rasterio_file"] = False
+        ds = self.tg.create(**args)
+
+        self.assertTrue(
+            len(ds.time) == self.nr_time_steps
+            and self.width - 1 <= len(ds.x) <= self.width + 1
+            and self.height - 1 <= len(ds.y) <= self.height + 1
+        )
+
     def test_s2_mosaic(self):
         """test Sentinel-2 data"""
         args = self.arguments.copy()