diff --git a/docs/releasenotes/index.rst b/docs/releasenotes/index.rst
index a058463..2a1ace4 100644
--- a/docs/releasenotes/index.rst
+++ b/docs/releasenotes/index.rst
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ Notes for major and minor releases. Notes for Patch releases are deferred.
 
 **Of interest to the User**:
 
-- PR #XYZ: one-liner description
+- PR #95: Optional dead-time correction (disabled by default)
 
 **Of interest to the Developer:**
 
diff --git a/docs/user/dead_time_correction.rst b/docs/user/dead_time_correction.rst
index 5070cc8..00af2a9 100644
--- a/docs/user/dead_time_correction.rst
+++ b/docs/user/dead_time_correction.rst
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ for paralyzable detectors, where
 | :math:`t_{\mathrm{dead}}` = dead time
 | :math:`t_{\mathrm{bin}}` = TOF bin width
 | :math:`\mathrm{rate}` = measured count rate
-| :math:`\mathrm{W}` = Lambert W function
+| :math:`\mathrm{W}` = `Lambert W function <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lambert_W_function>`_
 
 The class ``SingleReadoutDeadTimeCorrection`` is a Mantid-style algorithm for computing the
 dead-time correction for an event workspace. One can optionally include error events in the
diff --git a/reflectivity_ui/interfaces/data_handling/instrument.py b/reflectivity_ui/interfaces/data_handling/instrument.py
index d0699d6..d75a485 100644
--- a/reflectivity_ui/interfaces/data_handling/instrument.py
+++ b/reflectivity_ui/interfaces/data_handling/instrument.py
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def mantid_algorithm_exec(algorithm_class, **kwargs):
                        algorithm property ``OutputWorkspace`` will be returned
     """
     algorithm_instance = algorithm_class()
-    assert algorithm_instance.PyInit, "str(algorithm_class) is not a Mantid Python algorithm"
+    assert hasattr(algorithm_instance, "PyInit"), f"{algorithm_class} is not a Mantid Python algorithm"
     algorithm_instance.PyInit()
     for name, value in kwargs.items():
         algorithm_instance.setProperty(name, value)
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ def get_dead_time_correction(ws, configuration, error_ws=None):
     tof_min = ws.getTofMin()
     tof_max = ws.getTofMax()
 
-    run_number = ws.getRun().getProperty("run_number").value
     corr_ws = mantid_algorithm_exec(
         DeadTimeCorrection.SingleReadoutDeadTimeCorrection,
         InputWorkspace=ws,
diff --git a/test/unit/reflectivity_ui/interfaces/data_handling/test_dead_time_correction.py b/test/unit/reflectivity_ui/interfaces/data_handling/test_dead_time_correction.py
index 5c40b94..c773263 100644
--- a/test/unit/reflectivity_ui/interfaces/data_handling/test_dead_time_correction.py
+++ b/test/unit/reflectivity_ui/interfaces/data_handling/test_dead_time_correction.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # package imports
 from reflectivity_ui.interfaces.data_handling.DeadTimeCorrection import SingleReadoutDeadTimeCorrection
+from reflectivity_ui.interfaces.data_handling.instrument import mantid_algorithm_exec
 
 # 3rd-party imports
 import mantid.simpleapi as api
@@ -15,14 +16,12 @@ def test_deadtime(is_paralyzable, data_server):
     """Test of the dead-time correction algorithm SingleReadoutDeadTimeCorrection"""
     with amend_config(data_dir=data_server.h5_full_path):
         ws = api.Load("REF_M_42112")
-
-    algo = SingleReadoutDeadTimeCorrection()
-    algo.PyInit()
-    algo.setProperty("InputWorkspace", ws)
-    algo.setProperty("OutputWorkspace", "dead_time_corr")
-    algo.setProperty("Paralyzable", is_paralyzable)
-    algo.PyExec()
-    corr_ws = algo.getProperty("OutputWorkspace").value
+    corr_ws = mantid_algorithm_exec(
+        SingleReadoutDeadTimeCorrection,
+        InputWorkspace=ws,
+        Paralyzable=is_paralyzable,
+        OutputWorkspace="dead_time_corr",
+    )
     corr = corr_ws.readY(0)
     for c in corr:
         assert 1.0 <= c < 1.001, "value not between 1.0 and 1.001"
diff --git a/test/unit/reflectivity_ui/interfaces/data_handling/test_instrument.py b/test/unit/reflectivity_ui/interfaces/data_handling/test_instrument.py
index 55bcaed..1849d40 100644
--- a/test/unit/reflectivity_ui/interfaces/data_handling/test_instrument.py
+++ b/test/unit/reflectivity_ui/interfaces/data_handling/test_instrument.py
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 # package imports
 from reflectivity_ui.interfaces.configuration import Configuration
+from reflectivity_ui.interfaces.data_handling.instrument import mantid_algorithm_exec
 
 # 3rd party imports
+from mantid.api import MatrixWorkspaceProperty, PythonAlgorithm
+from mantid.kernel import Direction
+from mantid.simpleapi import CreateSingleValuedWorkspace
 import pytest
 
 
@@ -27,3 +31,31 @@ def test_load_data_deadtime(data_server):
     for ws in ws_list:
         assert "dead_time_applied" not in ws.getRun()
         assert ws.extractY().sum() == ws.getNumberEvents()
+
+
+def test_mantid_algorithm_exec():
+    """Test helper function mantid_algorithm_exec"""
+    # test wrong type of class
+    class TestNotMantidAlgo:
+        pass
+
+    with pytest.raises(AssertionError, match="is not a Mantid Python algorithm"):
+        mantid_algorithm_exec(TestNotMantidAlgo)
+    # test Mantid Python algorithm
+
+    class TestMantidAlgo(PythonAlgorithm):
+        def PyInit(self):
+            self.declareProperty("Value", 8, "Value in workspace")
+            self.declareProperty(
+                MatrixWorkspaceProperty("OutputWorkspace", "", Direction.Output),
+                "Output workspace",
+            )
+
+        def PyExec(self):
+            value = self.getProperty("Value").value
+            ws = CreateSingleValuedWorkspace(value)
+            self.setProperty("OutputWorkspace", ws)
+
+    custom_value = 4
+    ws_out = mantid_algorithm_exec(TestMantidAlgo, Value=custom_value, OutputWorkspace="output")
+    assert ws_out.readY(0)[0] == custom_value