diff --git a/src/squidpy/gr/_nhood.py b/src/squidpy/gr/_nhood.py
index 06953db8..d8f09ed1 100644
--- a/src/squidpy/gr/_nhood.py
+++ b/src/squidpy/gr/_nhood.py
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ def _interaction_matrix(
         cur_row = cats[i]
         cur_indices = indices_list[i]
         cur_data = data_list[i]
-        for j, val in zip(cur_indices, cur_data, strict=False):
+        for j, val in zip(cur_indices, cur_data):  # noqa: B905
             cur_col = cats[j]
             output[cur_row, cur_col] += val
     return output
diff --git a/src/squidpy/pl/_spatial_utils.py b/src/squidpy/pl/_spatial_utils.py
index 083238b6..1fc8ad6b 100644
--- a/src/squidpy/pl/_spatial_utils.py
+++ b/src/squidpy/pl/_spatial_utils.py
@@ -698,8 +698,8 @@ def _decorate_axs(
 def _map_color_seg(
     seg: NDArrayA,
     cell_id: NDArrayA,
-    color_vector: NDArrayA | pd.Series[CategoricalDtype],
-    color_source_vector: pd.Series[CategoricalDtype],
+    color_vector: NDArrayA | pd.Categorical,
+    color_source_vector: pd.Categorical,
     cmap_params: CmapParams,
     seg_erosionpx: int | None = None,
     seg_boundaries: bool = False,
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ def _map_color_seg(
 ) -> NDArrayA:
     cell_id = np.array(cell_id)
 
-    if isinstance(color_vector, pd.Series) and isinstance(color_vector.dtype, pd.CategoricalDtype):
+    if isinstance(color_vector, pd.Categorical):
         if isinstance(na_color, tuple) and len(na_color) == 4 and np.any(color_source_vector.isna()):
             cell_id[color_source_vector.isna()] = 0
         val_im: NDArrayA = map_array(seg, cell_id, color_vector.codes + 1)
diff --git a/tests/image/test_container.py b/tests/image/test_container.py
index f24d9639..3e43a579 100644
--- a/tests/image/test_container.py
+++ b/tests/image/test_container.py
@@ -505,7 +505,7 @@ def test_spot_crops_as_array_return_obs(
                 if not as_array:
                     assert Key.img.obs in crop.data.attrs
 
-            if as_array:
+            if as_array is True:  # cannot do 'if as_array' because the string would also be true
                 assert isinstance(crop, dict), type(crop)
                 for key in cont:
                     assert key in crop