diff --git a/rules/build_electricity.smk b/rules/build_electricity.smk
index 78904573..bcc69e2d 100644
--- a/rules/build_electricity.smk
+++ b/rules/build_electricity.smk
@@ -205,26 +205,15 @@ if config["enable"].get("build_cutout", False):
             "../scripts/build_cutout.py"
 
 
-# TODO: consider if it's fine to just use the default cutout instead, i.e.:
-# cutout="cutouts/" + CDIR + config["atlite"]["default_cutout"] + ".nc",
-def cutouts_for_extent_input(wildcards):
-    # We only need these cutouts in order to determine geographic
-    # boundaries, so just pick the first weather year available
-    weather_year = config_provider("scenario", "weather_year")(wildcards)[0]
-    cutouts = []
-    for k in config_provider("electricity", "renewable_carriers")(wildcards):
-        cutout = config_provider("renewable", k, "cutout")(wildcards)
-        cutout = cutout.replace("{weather_year}", weather_year)
-        cutouts.append(f"cutouts/{CDIR}{cutout}.nc")
-    return cutouts
-
-
 if config["enable"].get("build_natura_raster", False):
 
     rule build_natura_raster:
         input:
             natura=ancient("data/bundle/natura/Natura2000_end2015.shp"),
-            cutouts=cutouts_for_extent_input,
+            cutout=lambda w: "cutouts/"
+            + CDIR
+            + config_provider("atlite", "default_cutout")(w)
+            + ".nc",
         output:
             resources("natura.tiff"),
         resources:
@@ -240,7 +229,10 @@ if config["enable"].get("build_natura_raster", False):
 rule build_ship_raster:
     input:
         ship_density="data/shipdensity_global.zip",
-        cutouts=cutouts_for_extent_input,
+        cutout=lambda w: "cutouts/"
+        + CDIR
+        + config_provider("atlite", "default_cutout")(w)
+        + ".nc",
     output:
         resources("shipdensity_raster.tif"),
     log:
diff --git a/scripts/build_natura_raster.py b/scripts/build_natura_raster.py
index 2e2fcbbf..35fb0dbd 100644
--- a/scripts/build_natura_raster.py
+++ b/scripts/build_natura_raster.py
@@ -94,9 +94,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     configure_logging(snakemake)
     set_scenario_config(snakemake)
 
-    cutouts = snakemake.input.cutouts
-    xs, Xs, ys, Ys = zip(*(determine_cutout_xXyY(cutout) for cutout in cutouts))
-    bounds = transform_bounds(4326, 3035, min(xs), min(ys), max(Xs), max(Ys))
+    x, X, y, Y = determine_cutout_xXyY(snakemake.input.cutout)
+    bounds = transform_bounds(4326, 3035, x, y, X, Y)
     transform, out_shape = get_transform_and_shape(bounds, res=100)
 
     # adjusted boundaries
diff --git a/scripts/build_ship_raster.py b/scripts/build_ship_raster.py
index c8285180..47d725d8 100644
--- a/scripts/build_ship_raster.py
+++ b/scripts/build_ship_raster.py
@@ -59,8 +59,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     configure_logging(snakemake)
     set_scenario_config(snakemake)
 
-    cutouts = snakemake.input.cutouts
-    xs, Xs, ys, Ys = zip(*(determine_cutout_xXyY(cutout) for cutout in cutouts))
+    x, X, y, Y = determine_cutout_xXyY(snakemake.input.cutout)
 
     with zipfile.ZipFile(snakemake.input.ship_density) as zip_f:
         resources = Path(snakemake.output[0]).parent
@@ -68,7 +67,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         zip_f.extract(fn, resources)
     with rioxarray.open_rasterio(resources / fn) as ship_density:
         ship_density = ship_density.drop_vars(["band"]).sel(
-            x=slice(min(xs), max(Xs)), y=slice(max(Ys), min(ys))
+            x=slice(x, X), y=slice(Y, y)
         )
         ship_density.rio.to_raster(snakemake.output[0])