diff --git a/soitool/soi.py b/soitool/soi.py
index 796d98e3d0e577bdfb9f26fadc191aca16ada291..4bfc2ffa4fcb00e87a9f74942e1c6bc587a3a9b3 100644
--- a/soitool/soi.py
+++ b/soitool/soi.py
@@ -379,7 +379,8 @@ class SOI:
         if self.placement_strategy == "auto":
             self.reorganize_rectpack()
         elif self.placement_strategy == "manual":
-            return
+            # nothing to do
+            pass
         else:
             raise Exception(
                 "Unknown placement strategy: {}".format(