diff --git a/src/spyglass/utils/dj_helper_fn.py b/src/spyglass/utils/dj_helper_fn.py
index 42cf67ba0..9142eb26a 100644
--- a/src/spyglass/utils/dj_helper_fn.py
+++ b/src/spyglass/utils/dj_helper_fn.py
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ def get_nwb_table(query_expression, tbl, attr_name, *attrs, **kwargs):
     # TODO: check that the query_expression restricts tbl - CBroz
     nwb_files = (
         query_expression.join(
-            tbl.proj(nwb2load_filepath=attr_name), log_export=False
+            tbl.proj(nwb2load_filepath=attr_name),
         )
     ).fetch(file_name_str)
 
@@ -274,6 +274,8 @@ def fetch_nwb(query_expression, nwb_master, *attrs, **kwargs):
     """
     kwargs["as_dict"] = True  # force return as dictionary
 
+    close_file = kwargs.pop("close_file", True)
+
     tbl, attr_name = nwb_master
     if "analysis" in attr_name:
         file_name_attr = "analysis_file_name"
@@ -294,7 +296,7 @@ def fetch_nwb(query_expression, nwb_master, *attrs, **kwargs):
             get_nwb_file(file_path)
 
     query_table = query_expression.join(
-        tbl.proj(nwb2load_filepath=attr_name), log_export=False
+        tbl.proj(nwb2load_filepath=attr_name),
     )
     rec_dicts = query_table.fetch(*attrs, **kwargs)
     # get filepath for each. Use datajoint for checksum if local
@@ -318,7 +320,7 @@ def fetch_nwb(query_expression, nwb_master, *attrs, **kwargs):
 
     ret = []
     for rec_dict in rec_dicts:
-        nwbf = get_nwb_file(rec_dict.pop("nwb2load_filepath"))
+        nwbf, io = get_nwb_file(rec_dict.pop("nwb2load_filepath"), return_io=True)
         # for each attr that contains substring 'object_id', store key-value: attr name to NWB object
         # remove '_object_id' from attr name
         nwb_objs = {
@@ -329,6 +331,8 @@ def fetch_nwb(query_expression, nwb_master, *attrs, **kwargs):
             if "object_id" in id_attr and rec_dict[id_attr] != ""
         }
         ret.append({**rec_dict, **nwb_objs})
+        if close_file:
+            io.close()
     return ret
 
 
diff --git a/src/spyglass/utils/nwb_helper_fn.py b/src/spyglass/utils/nwb_helper_fn.py
index 82af8a626..3fe0bbd0c 100644
--- a/src/spyglass/utils/nwb_helper_fn.py
+++ b/src/spyglass/utils/nwb_helper_fn.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 invalid_electrode_index = 99999999
 
 
-def get_nwb_file(nwb_file_path):
+def get_nwb_file(nwb_file_path, **kwargs):
     """Return an NWBFile object with the given file path in read mode.
 
     If the file is not found locally, this will check if it has been shared
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ def get_nwb_file(nwb_file_path):
 
         nwb_file_path = Nwbfile.get_abs_path(nwb_file_path)
 
-    _, nwbfile = __open_nwb_files.get(nwb_file_path, (None, None))
+    io, nwbfile = __open_nwb_files.get(nwb_file_path, (None, None))
 
     if nwbfile is None:
         # check to see if the file exists
@@ -96,6 +96,11 @@ def get_nwb_file(nwb_file_path):
         nwbfile = io.read()
         __open_nwb_files[nwb_file_path] = (io, nwbfile)
 
+    __open_nwb_files.clear()
+    return_io = kwargs.pop("return_io", False)
+    if return_io:
+        return nwbfile, io
+
     return nwbfile