diff --git a/src/pyaro_readers/actrisebas/ActrisEbasReader.py b/src/pyaro_readers/actrisebas/ActrisEbasReader.py
index bfd69bb..d4efd2c 100644
--- a/src/pyaro_readers/actrisebas/ActrisEbasReader.py
+++ b/src/pyaro_readers/actrisebas/ActrisEbasReader.py
@@ -222,6 +222,9 @@ def read(
         # for actris vocabulary key and value of self.actris_vars_to_read are the same
         # for pyaerocom vocabulary they are not (key is pyaerocom variable name there)!
         for _var in self.actris_vars_to_read:
+            if _var in self._data:
+                logger.info(f"var {_var} already read")
+                continue
             for actris_variable in self.actris_vars_to_read[_var]:
                 # actris_variable = self.actris_vars_to_read[_var][0]
 
@@ -453,12 +456,15 @@ def extract_urls(
         return urls_to_dl
 
     def _unfiltered_data(self, varname) -> Data:
+        self.read()
         return self._data[varname]
 
     def _unfiltered_stations(self) -> dict[str, Station]:
+        self.read()
         return self._stations
 
     def _unfiltered_variables(self) -> list[str]:
+        self.read()
         return list(self._data.keys())
 
     def close(self):
@@ -492,5 +498,3 @@ def description(self):
     def url(self):
         return "https://github.com/metno/pyaro-readers"
 
-    def read(self):
-        return self.reader_class().read()
diff --git a/tests/test_ActrisEbasReader.py b/tests/test_ActrisEbasReader.py
index 4ee3760..7e27c8a 100644
--- a/tests/test_ActrisEbasReader.py
+++ b/tests/test_ActrisEbasReader.py
@@ -54,7 +54,6 @@ def test_api_reading_small_data_set(self):
         with engine.open(
                 filters=self.station_filter, vars_to_read=self.vars_to_read
         ) as ts:
-            ts.read()
             self.assertGreaterEqual(len(ts.variables()), 1)
             self.assertGreaterEqual(len(ts.stations()), 2)
             self.assertGreaterEqual(len(ts._data[ts.variables()[0]]), 1000)
@@ -68,12 +67,10 @@ def test_api_reading_pyaerocom_naming(self):
         for _var in self.pyaerocom_vars_to_read:
             engine = pyaro.list_timeseries_engines()[self.engine]
             with engine.open(filters=self.station_filter, vars_to_read=[_var]) as ts:
-                ts.read()
                 self.assertGreaterEqual(len(ts.variables()), 1)
                 self.assertGreaterEqual(len(ts.stations()), 2)
                 self.assertGreaterEqual(len(ts._data[ts.variables()[0]]), 1000)
                 self.assertGreaterEqual(len(ts.data(ts.variables()[0])), 1000)
-                self.assertGreaterEqual(len(ts.variables()), 1)
                 self.assertIn("revision", ts.metadata())
 
     def test_wrappers(self):
@@ -82,7 +79,6 @@ def test_wrappers(self):
         ebas_var_name = "ozone mass concentration"
         with VariableNameChangingReader(engine.open(filters=self.station_filter, vars_to_read=[ebas_var_name]),
                                         reader_to_new={ebas_var_name: new_var_name}) as ts:
-            ts.read()
             self.assertEqual(ts.data(new_var_name).variable, new_var_name)
             self.assertGreaterEqual(len(ts.variables()), 1)
             self.assertGreaterEqual(len(ts.stations()), 2)