diff --git a/pyFAI/gui/tasks/GeometryTask.py b/pyFAI/gui/tasks/GeometryTask.py
index b9e3f7d8..deb7da44 100644
--- a/pyFAI/gui/tasks/GeometryTask.py
+++ b/pyFAI/gui/tasks/GeometryTask.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import
 
 __authors__ = ["V. Valls"]
 __license__ = "MIT"
-__date__ = "16/05/2019"
+__date__ = "17/05/2019"
 
 import logging
 import numpy
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ class _StatusBar(qt.QStatusBar):
         self.clearValues()
 
     def clearValues(self):
-        self.setValues(None, None, float("nan"), float("nan"), float("nan"))
+        self.setValues(None, None, numpy.nan, numpy.nan, numpy.nan)
 
     def setValues(self, x, y, pixel, chi, tth):
         if x is None:
@@ -120,15 +120,16 @@ class _StatusBar(qt.QStatusBar):
         self.__position.setValue(pos)
         self.__pixel.setValue(pixel)
         self.__chi.setValue(chi)
+        tth = numpy.nan if tth is None else tth
         self.__2theta.setValue(tth)
         if not numpy.isnan(tth):
-            # NOTE: warelength could be updated, and the the display would not
+            # NOTE: wavelength could be updated, and the the display would not
             # be updated. But here it is safe enougth.
             wavelength = CalibrationContext.instance().getCalibrationModel().fittedGeometry().wavelength().value()
             q = unitutils.from2ThRad(tth, core_units.Q_A, wavelength)
             self.__q.setValue(q)
         else:
-            self.__q.setValue(float("nan"))
+            self.__q.setValue(numpy.nan)
 
 
 class CalibrationState(qt.QObject):
diff --git a/pyFAI/test/test_utils_ellipse.py b/pyFAI/test/test_utils_ellipse.py
index ecc99208..e15894ce 100644
--- a/pyFAI/test/test_utils_ellipse.py
+++ b/pyFAI/test/test_utils_ellipse.py
@@ -35,13 +35,21 @@ __author__ = "Jérôme Kieffer"
 __contact__ = "Jerome.Kieffer@ESRF.eu"
 __license__ = "MIT"
 __copyright__ = "European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Grenoble, France"
-__date__ = "15/05/2019"
+__date__ = "17/05/2019"
 
 import unittest
 import numpy
 from pyFAI.utils import ellipse as ellipse_mdl
 
 
+def modulo(value, div=numpy.pi):
+    """hack to calculate the value%div but returns the smallest 
+    absolute value, possibly negative"""
+    q = value / div
+    i = round(q)
+    return (i - q) * div
+
+
 class TestEllipse(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_ellipse(self):
@@ -53,7 +61,7 @@ class TestEllipse(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertAlmostEqual(ellipse.center_2, 100)
         self.assertAlmostEqual(ellipse.half_long_axis, 20)
         self.assertAlmostEqual(ellipse.half_short_axis, 10)
-        self.assertAlmostEqual(ellipse.angle, 0)
+        self.assertAlmostEqual(modulo(ellipse.angle), 0)
 
     def test_ellipse2(self):
         angles = numpy.arange(0, numpy.pi * 2, 0.2)
@@ -64,7 +72,7 @@ class TestEllipse(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertAlmostEqual(ellipse.center_2, 100)
         self.assertAlmostEqual(ellipse.half_long_axis, 20)
         self.assertAlmostEqual(ellipse.half_short_axis, 10)
-        self.assertAlmostEqual(ellipse.angle, numpy.pi)
+        self.assertAlmostEqual(modulo(ellipse.angle), 0)
 
     def test_half_circle(self):
         angles = numpy.linspace(0, numpy.pi, 10)