diff --git a/src/depiction/image/feature_selection.py b/src/depiction/image/feature_selection.py
index 50d39b7..661190a 100644
--- a/src/depiction/image/feature_selection.py
+++ b/src/depiction/image/feature_selection.py
@@ -17,16 +17,21 @@ class FeatureSelectionIQR(BaseModel):
 FeatureSelection = Annotated[Union[FeatureSelectionCV, FeatureSelectionIQR], Field(discriminator="method")]
 
 
-def select_features(feature_selection: FeatureSelection, image: MultiChannelImage) -> MultiChannelImage:
-    """Returns a new ``MultiChannelImage`` that is a copy of ``image`` with only the selected features remaining."""
+def select_features(feature_selection: FeatureSelection, image: MultiChannelImage) -> list[str]:
+    """Returns the selected features based on the provided feature selection method."""
     match feature_selection:
         case FeatureSelectionCV(n_features=n_features):
-            features = _select_features_cv(image=image, n_features=n_features)
+            return _select_features_cv(image=image, n_features=n_features)
         case FeatureSelectionIQR(n_features=n_features):
-            features = _select_features_iqr(image=image, n_features=n_features)
+            return _select_features_iqr(image=image, n_features=n_features)
         case _:
             raise ValueError("Invalid feature selection method.")
-    return image.retain_channels(coords=features)
+
+
+def retain_features(feature_selection: FeatureSelection, image: MultiChannelImage) -> MultiChannelImage:
+    """Returns a new ``MultiChannelImage`` that is a copy of ``image`` with only the selected features remaining."""
+    selected_features = select_features(feature_selection=feature_selection, image=image)
+    return image.retain_channels(coords=selected_features)
 
 
 def _select_features_cv(image: MultiChannelImage, n_features: int) -> list[str]:
diff --git a/src/depiction_cluster_sandbox/workflow/proc/compute_image_umap_coefs.py b/src/depiction_cluster_sandbox/workflow/proc/compute_image_umap_coefs.py
index 9ff32e5..2df9c11 100644
--- a/src/depiction_cluster_sandbox/workflow/proc/compute_image_umap_coefs.py
+++ b/src/depiction_cluster_sandbox/workflow/proc/compute_image_umap_coefs.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from loguru import logger
 from umap import UMAP
 
-from depiction.image.feature_selection import FeatureSelectionIQR, select_features
+from depiction.image.feature_selection import FeatureSelectionIQR, retain_features
 from depiction.image.multi_channel_image import MultiChannelImage
 from depiction.image.multi_channel_image_concatenation import MultiChannelImageConcatenation
 
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def compute_image_umap_coefs(
     input_image = input_image_conc.get_combined_image()
     if enable_feature_selection:
         logger.info(f"Feature selection requested: {feature_selection}")
-        input_image = select_features(feature_selection=feature_selection, image=input_image)
+        input_image = retain_features(feature_selection=feature_selection, image=input_image)
 
     # compute the umap transformation into 2D
     logger.info(f"Computing UMAP for input image with shape {input_image.dimensions}")