diff --git a/app/data_request.py b/app/data_request.py
index 8d5069c..bd29f3b 100644
--- a/app/data_request.py
+++ b/app/data_request.py
@@ -13,14 +13,6 @@ def format_url(dataset) -> str:
     return link
 
 
-def save_json(data, dataset):
-    """
-    Dumps the data into a JSON file
-    """
-    with open(FILES[dataset], "w") as f:
-        dump(data, f, ensure_ascii=False)
-
-
 def request_dataset(dataset):
     """
     Fetches the requested dataset from opendata's API
@@ -30,4 +22,4 @@ def request_dataset(dataset):
     response = get(url)
     response.raise_for_status()
     data = response.json()
-    save_json(data=data, dataset=dataset)
+    return data
diff --git a/app/preprocessing.py b/app/preprocessing.py
index 4fc633b..d506ef6 100644
--- a/app/preprocessing.py
+++ b/app/preprocessing.py
@@ -6,21 +6,11 @@ from constants import COLUMNS, FILES
 from app.data_request import request_dataset
 
 
-def open_json(dataset) -> dict:
-    """
-    Loads a dictionary with data from a JSON file
-    """
-    with open(FILES[dataset]) as f:
-        json = load(f)
-    return json
-
-
 def create_dataframe(dataset) -> DataFrame:
     """
     Creates a DataFrame from a JSON file
     """
-    request_dataset(dataset)
-    json = open_json(dataset)
+    json = request_dataset(dataset)
     df = json_normalize(data=json, record_path=["records"], errors="ignore",)
     filtered_df = df.filter(items=COLUMNS[dataset])
     return filtered_df
diff --git a/data/.keep b/data/.keep
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29..0000000
diff --git a/tests/preprocessing_test.py b/tests/preprocessing_test.py
index 15c0f2b..21c11ae 100644
--- a/tests/preprocessing_test.py
+++ b/tests/preprocessing_test.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-from os import remove
-
 from pandas import DataFrame
 from requests import get
 
@@ -22,8 +20,6 @@ def test_dataframe_creation():
     Verifes that the DataFrames are created and filtered properly
     """
     for dataset in DATASETS:
-        request_dataset(dataset)
         df = create_dataframe(dataset)
-        remove(FILES[dataset])
         assert isinstance(df, DataFrame)
         assert all(df.columns == COLUMNS[dataset])