diff --git a/conf/modules.config b/conf/modules.config
index 8430be2d..3c150832 100644
--- a/conf/modules.config
+++ b/conf/modules.config
@@ -15,10 +15,4 @@ process {
             saveAs: { filename -> filename.equals('versions.yml') ? null : filename }
         ]
     }
-    withName: FASTQ_SCREEN {
-        // use bind for singularity and volume for docker
-        containerOptions = { workflow.containerEngine == 'singularity' ?
-            "--mount type=bind,src=$params.fastq_screen.db_dir,dst=$params.fastq_screen.db_dir" :
-            "--volume $params.fastq_screen.db_dir:$params.fastq_screen.db_dir "}
-    }
 }
diff --git a/modules/local/qc.nf b/modules/local/qc.nf
index c7f130ca..c80fc1ed 100644
--- a/modules/local/qc.nf
+++ b/modules/local/qc.nf
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ process FASTQ_SCREEN {
     container = "${params.containers.fastq_screen}"
 
     input:
-        tuple val(meta), path(fastq), path(conf)
+        tuple val(meta), path(fastq), path(conf), path(db_dir)
+
     output:
         path("${meta.id}*_screen.*"), emit: screen
 
diff --git a/subworkflows/local/qc.nf b/subworkflows/local/qc.nf
index 764148d9..4a79fd46 100644
--- a/subworkflows/local/qc.nf
+++ b/subworkflows/local/qc.nf
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@ workflow QC {
     main:
         raw_fastqs.combine(Channel.value("raw")) | FASTQC_RAW
         trimmed_fastqs.combine(Channel.value("trimmed")) | FASTQC_TRIMMED
-        trimmed_fastqs.combine(Channel.fromPath(params.fastq_screen.conf)) | FASTQ_SCREEN
+        trimmed_fastqs
+          .combine(Channel.fromPath(params.fastq_screen.conf, checkIfExists: true))
+          .combine(Channel.fromPath(params.fastq_screen.db_dir,
+                                    type: 'dir', checkIfExists: true)) | FASTQ_SCREEN
 
         PRESEQ(aligned_bam)
         // when preseq fails, write NAs for the stats that are calculated from its log