diff --git a/cpp_src/pybind11/lasp_dsp_pybind.cpp b/cpp_src/pybind11/lasp_dsp_pybind.cpp
index a770647..b5cedc3 100644
--- a/cpp_src/pybind11/lasp_dsp_pybind.cpp
+++ b/cpp_src/pybind11/lasp_dsp_pybind.cpp
@@ -114,9 +114,10 @@ void init_dsp(py::module &m) {
 
   aps.def("compute", [](AvPowerSpectra &aps, dpyarray timedata) {
     std::optional<ccube> res;
+    dmat timedata_mat = NpyToMat<d, false>(timedata);
     {
       py::gil_scoped_release release;
-      res = aps.compute(NpyToMat<d, false>(timedata));
+      res = aps.compute(timedata_mat);
     }
 
     return CubeToNpy<c>(res.value_or(ccube(0, 0, 0)));