diff --git a/.github/workflows/black.yml b/.github/workflows/black.yml
index 25af1e08d..1b539f3b0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/black.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/black.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Lint Python
+name: Python Formmating (run ./bw-dev black to fix)
 
 on: [push, pull_request]
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/management/commands/generate_preview_images.py b/bookwyrm/management/commands/generate_preview_images.py
index c2ceb90fd..df2186238 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/management/commands/generate_preview_images.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/management/commands/generate_preview_images.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from bookwyrm import models, preview_images
 # pylint: disable=line-too-long
 class Command(BaseCommand):
     """Creates previews for existing objects"""
+
     help = "Generate preview images"
 
     def add_arguments(self, parser):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/book.py b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
index 91ebbc463..d79ce206d 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@ from model_utils.managers import InheritanceManager
 
 from bookwyrm import activitypub
 from bookwyrm.preview_images import generate_edition_preview_image_task
-from bookwyrm.settings import DOMAIN, DEFAULT_LANGUAGE
-from bookwyrm.tasks import app
+from bookwyrm.settings import DOMAIN, DEFAULT_LANGUAGE, ENABLE_PREVIEW_IMAGES
 
 from .activitypub_mixin import OrderedCollectionPageMixin, ObjectMixin
 from .base_model import BookWyrmModel
@@ -303,9 +302,12 @@ def isbn_13_to_10(isbn_13):
     return converted + str(checkdigit)
 
 
-@receiver(models.signals.post_save, sender=Edition)
 # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+@receiver(models.signals.post_save, sender=Edition)
 def preview_image(instance, *args, **kwargs):
+    """create preview image on book create"""
+    if not ENABLE_PREVIEW_IMAGES:
+        return
     changed_fields = {}
     if instance.field_tracker:
         changed_fields = instance.field_tracker.changed()
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/site.py b/bookwyrm/models/site.py
index 670816942..872f6b454 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/site.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/site.py
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ from django.utils import timezone
 from model_utils import FieldTracker
 
 from bookwyrm.preview_images import generate_site_preview_image_task
-from bookwyrm.settings import DOMAIN
-from bookwyrm.tasks import app
+from bookwyrm.settings import DOMAIN, ENABLE_PREVIEW_IMAGES
 from .base_model import BookWyrmModel
 from .user import User
 
@@ -130,9 +129,12 @@ class PasswordReset(models.Model):
         return "https://{}/password-reset/{}".format(DOMAIN, self.code)
 
 
-@receiver(models.signals.post_save, sender=SiteSettings)
 # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+@receiver(models.signals.post_save, sender=SiteSettings)
 def preview_image(instance, *args, **kwargs):
+    """Update image preview for the default site image"""
+    if not ENABLE_PREVIEW_IMAGES:
+        return
     changed_fields = instance.field_tracker.changed()
 
     if len(changed_fields) > 0:
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/user.py b/bookwyrm/models/user.py
index 1519b7875..49458a2e0 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/user.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/user.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from bookwyrm.connectors import get_data, ConnectorException
 from bookwyrm.models.shelf import Shelf
 from bookwyrm.models.status import Status, Review
 from bookwyrm.preview_images import generate_user_preview_image_task
-from bookwyrm.settings import DOMAIN
+from bookwyrm.settings import DOMAIN, ENABLE_PREVIEW_IMAGES
 from bookwyrm.signatures import create_key_pair
 from bookwyrm.tasks import app
 from bookwyrm.utils import regex
@@ -452,9 +452,12 @@ def get_remote_reviews(outbox):
         activitypub.Review(**activity).to_model()
 
 
-@receiver(models.signals.post_save, sender=User)
 # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+@receiver(models.signals.post_save, sender=User)
 def preview_image(instance, *args, **kwargs):
+    """create preview images when user is updated"""
+    if not ENABLE_PREVIEW_IMAGES:
+        return
     changed_fields = instance.field_tracker.changed()
 
     if len(changed_fields) > 0:
diff --git a/bookwyrm/preview_images.py b/bookwyrm/preview_images.py
index 652c58f90..3be01bd92 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/preview_images.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/preview_images.py
@@ -166,9 +166,7 @@ def generate_rating_layer(rating, content_width):
     rating_layer_base = Image.new(
         "RGBA", (content_width, icon_size), color=TRANSPARENT_COLOR
     )
-    rating_layer_color = Image.new(
-        "RGBA", (content_width, icon_size), color=TEXT_COLOR
-    )
+    rating_layer_color = Image.new("RGBA", (content_width, icon_size), color=TEXT_COLOR)
     rating_layer_mask = Image.new(
         "RGBA", (content_width, icon_size), color=TRANSPARENT_COLOR
     )
@@ -369,9 +367,7 @@ def generate_site_preview_image_task():
         "text_three": site.instance_tagline,
     }
 
-    image = generate_preview_image(
-        texts=texts, picture=logo, show_instance_layer=False
-    )
+    image = generate_preview_image(texts=texts, picture=logo, show_instance_layer=False)
 
     save_and_cleanup(image, instance=site)