diff --git a/pycbc/waveform/waveform.py b/pycbc/waveform/waveform.py
index 7e2ec92a1ea..ca0e822aff4 100644
--- a/pycbc/waveform/waveform.py
+++ b/pycbc/waveform/waveform.py
@@ -658,12 +658,12 @@ def get_td_waveform(template=None, **kwargs):
             modes_to_use=input_params.get("modes_to_use", [])
         )
         if len(esigma_params["modes_to_use"]) == 0:
-            if esigma_params["merger_ringdown_approximant"] == "SEOBNRv4PHM":
+            if not input_params["approximant"].endswith("HM"):
+                esigma_params["modes_to_use"] = [(2, 2)]
+            elif esigma_params["merger_ringdown_approximant"] == "SEOBNRv4PHM":
                 esigma_params["modes_to_use"] = [(2, 2), (2, 1), (3, 3), (4, 4)]
             elif esigma_params["merger_ringdown_approximant"] == "NRSur7dq4":
                 esigma_params["modes_to_use"] = [(2, 2), (2, 1), (3, 3), (3, 2), (4, 4), (4, 3)]
-            if not input_params["approximant"].endswith("HM"):
-                esigma_params["modes_to_use"] = [(2, 2)]
 
         try:
             if "IMRESIGMA" in input_params["approximant"]:
@@ -672,12 +672,14 @@ def get_td_waveform(template=None, **kwargs):
                 hp, hc = esigma_utils.get_inspiral_esigma_waveform(**esigma_params)
             if hp is None or hc is None:
                 raise IOError(
-                    f"Approximant {input_params['approximant']} not supported"
+                    f"""Approximant {input_params['approximant']} not supported.
+Parameters: {esigma_params}"""
                 )
             return hp, hc
         except Exception as exc:
             try:
-                print(f"Going to generate ESIGMA with SEOBNRv4PHM, Modes used: (2,2), (2,1), (3,3), (4,4)")
+                print(f"""Going to generate ESIGMA with SEOBNRv4PHM,
+Modes used: (2,2), (2,1), (3,3), (4,4)""")
                 esigma_params["merger_ringdown_approximant"] = "SEOBNRv4PHM"
                 if input_params["approximant"] == "IMRESIGMAHM":
                     esigma_params["modes_to_use"] = [(2, 2), (2, 1), (3, 3), (4, 4)]