diff --git a/features/esm.py b/features/esm.py
index 88318fa..67635b8 100644
--- a/features/esm.py
+++ b/features/esm.py
@@ -256,9 +256,9 @@ def clean_up_esm(df_esm_preprocessed: pd.DataFrame) -> pd.DataFrame:
         ESM.ESM_TYPE.get("scale"),
         ESM.ESM_TYPE.get("number"),
     ]
-    df_esm_clean[df_esm_clean["esm_type"].isin(esm_type_numeric)] = df_esm_clean[
+    df_esm_clean.loc[
         df_esm_clean["esm_type"].isin(esm_type_numeric)
-    ].assign(
+    ] = df_esm_clean.loc[df_esm_clean["esm_type"].isin(esm_type_numeric)].assign(
         esm_user_answer_numeric=lambda x: x.esm_user_answer.str.slice(stop=1).astype(
             int
         )