diff --git a/hexrd/distortion/distortionabc.py b/hexrd/distortion/distortionabc.py
index c1ae2a473..f2eb2882a 100644
--- a/hexrd/distortion/distortionabc.py
+++ b/hexrd/distortion/distortionabc.py
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ class DistortionABC(metaclass=abc.ABCMeta):
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def apply(self, xy_in):
         """Apply distortion mapping"""
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def apply_inverse(self, xy_in):
         """Apply inverse distortion mapping"""
+        raise NotImplementedError
diff --git a/hexrd/fitting/calibration/calibrator.py b/hexrd/fitting/calibration/calibrator.py
index 730395491..de9634b67 100644
--- a/hexrd/fitting/calibration/calibrator.py
+++ b/hexrd/fitting/calibration/calibrator.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ class Calibrator(ABC):
     @abstractmethod
     def type(self):
         """The type of the calibrator"""
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @abstractmethod
     def create_lmfit_params(self, current_params):
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ def create_lmfit_params(self, current_params):
         for the lattice parameters. The Laue calibrator creates lmfit
         parameters for crystal parameters.
         """
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @abstractmethod
     def update_from_lmfit_params(self, params_dict):
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@ def update_from_lmfit_params(self, params_dict):
         For example, the powder calibrator will update the lattice parameters
         on the material. The Laue calibrator will update crystal parameters.
         """
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @abstractmethod
     def residual(self, calibration_data=None):
@@ -45,6 +48,7 @@ def residual(self, calibration_data=None):
         the calibration class instead, in which case, calibration_data can
         be `None`.
         """
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @property
     @abstractmethod
@@ -69,8 +73,10 @@ def calibration_picks(self):
         string of the hkl. And "picks" are either a list of points (powder)
         or a single point (laue). The picks are in cartesian coordinates.
         """
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @calibration_picks.setter
     @abstractmethod
     def calibration_picks(self, val):
         """Setter for calibration_picks. See getter docs for details."""
+        raise NotImplementedError
diff --git a/hexrd/instrument/detector.py b/hexrd/instrument/detector.py
index 82784105d..6b8851f17 100644
--- a/hexrd/instrument/detector.py
+++ b/hexrd/instrument/detector.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ class Detector:
     @property
     @abstractmethod
     def detector_type(self):
-        pass
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @abstractmethod
     def cart_to_angles(self, xy_data, rmat_s=None, tvec_s=None,
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ def cart_to_angles(self, xy_data, rmat_s=None, tvec_s=None,
             DESCRIPTION.
 
         """
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @abstractmethod
     def angles_to_cart(self, tth_eta,
@@ -125,22 +126,24 @@ def angles_to_cart(self, tth_eta,
             The (n, 2) array on the n input coordinates in the .
 
         """
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @abstractmethod
     def cart_to_dvecs(self, xy_data):
         """Convert cartesian coordinates to dvectors"""
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @abstractmethod
     def pixel_angles(self, origin=ct.zeros_3):
-        pass
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @abstractmethod
     def pixel_tth_gradient(self, origin=ct.zeros_3):
-        pass
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @abstractmethod
     def pixel_eta_gradient(self, origin=ct.zeros_3):
-        pass
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
     @property
     @abstractmethod
@@ -149,6 +152,7 @@ def beam_position(self):
         returns the coordinates of the beam in the cartesian detector
         frame {Xd, Yd, Zd}.  NaNs if no intersection.
         """
+        raise NotImplementedError
 
 
     @property
@@ -727,11 +731,11 @@ def config_dict(self, chi=0, tvec=ct.zeros_3,
         elif panel_buffer is None:
             # still None on self
             # !!! this gets handled by unwrap_dict_to_h5 now
-            '''
-            if style.lower() == 'hdf5':
-                # !!! can't write None to hdf5; substitute with zeros
-                panel_buffer = np.r_[0., 0.]
-            '''
+
+            # if style.lower() == 'hdf5':
+            #     # !!! can't write None to hdf5; substitute with zeros
+            #     panel_buffer = np.r_[0., 0.]
+            pass
         det_dict['buffer'] = panel_buffer
 
         det_dict.update(self.extra_config_kwargs)