diff --git a/includes/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-admin.php b/includes/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-admin.php
index e4c802b..e13c0a9 100644
--- a/includes/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-admin.php
+++ b/includes/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-admin.php
@@ -110,9 +110,7 @@ class Display_Featured_Image_Genesis_Admin {
 
 		$taxonomy = filter_input( INPUT_POST, 'taxonomy', FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING );
 		$taxonomy = ! is_null( $taxonomy ) ? $taxonomy : get_current_screen()->taxonomy;
-		$image_id = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_check_image_id( $image_id );
-
-		$args = array(
+		$args     = array(
 			'image_id' => $image_id,
 			'context'  => 'term',
 			'alt'      => get_term( $term_id, $taxonomy )->name,
diff --git a/includes/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-common.php b/includes/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-common.php
index 773e4c1..a4be5c9 100644
--- a/includes/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-common.php
+++ b/includes/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-common.php
@@ -69,8 +69,7 @@ class Display_Featured_Image_Genesis_Common {
 	public static function set_image_id( $image_id = '' ) {
 
 		$setting     = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_get_setting();
-		$fallback    = $setting['default'];
-		$fallback_id = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_check_image_id( $fallback );
+		$fallback_id = $setting['default'];
 
 		// set here with fallback preemptively, if it exists
 		if ( ! empty( $fallback ) ) {
@@ -102,7 +101,7 @@ class Display_Featured_Image_Genesis_Common {
 			 * whether get_post_type array should use the post type image.
 			 * @uses is_in_array()
 			 */
-			$image_id = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_check_image_id( $setting['post_type'][ $post_type ] );
+			$image_id = $setting['post_type'][ $post_type ];
 			if ( self::is_in_array( 'use_post_type_image' ) ) {
 				return (int) $image_id;
 			}
diff --git a/includes/helper-functions.php b/includes/helper-functions.php
index 00e35fc..b57d8b1 100644
--- a/includes/helper-functions.php
+++ b/includes/helper-functions.php
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ function displayfeaturedimagegenesis_get_term_image( $term_id, $image_id = '' )
 	if ( ! $image_id ) {
 		$term_meta = get_option( "displayfeaturedimagegenesis_{$term_id}" );
 		if ( $term_meta ) {
-			$image_id = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_check_image_id( $term_meta['term_image'] );
+			$image_id = $term_meta['term_image'];
 		}
 	}
 	return $image_id;
@@ -88,10 +88,8 @@ function display_featured_image_genesis_get_term_image_url( $size = 'displayfeat
 function display_featured_image_genesis_get_default_image_id( $image_id = '' ) {
 
 	$displaysetting = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_get_setting();
-	$image_id       = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_check_image_id( $displaysetting['default'] );
-
-	return (int) $image_id;
 
+	return (int) $displaysetting['default'];
 }
 
 /**
@@ -136,7 +134,7 @@ function display_featured_image_genesis_get_cpt_image_id( $image_id = '' ) {
 		$post_type = $object->post_type;
 	}
 	if ( ! empty( $displaysetting['post_type'][ $post_type ] ) ) {
-		$image_id = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_check_image_id( $displaysetting['post_type'][ $post_type ] );
+		$image_id = $displaysetting['post_type'][ $post_type ];
 	}
 
 	return (int) $image_id;
diff --git a/includes/settings/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-helper.php b/includes/settings/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-helper.php
index b6de2a9..06aa96a 100644
--- a/includes/settings/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-helper.php
+++ b/includes/settings/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-helper.php
@@ -233,7 +233,6 @@ class Display_Featured_Image_Genesis_Helper extends DisplayFeaturedImageGenesisG
 			return '';
 		}
 
-		$id = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_check_image_id( $id );
 		/* translators: the placeholder refers to which featured image */
 		$alt_text = sprintf( __( '%s featured image', 'display-featured-image-genesis' ), esc_attr( $alt ) );
 		$preview  = wp_get_attachment_image_src( (int) $id, 'medium' );
@@ -250,7 +249,6 @@ class Display_Featured_Image_Genesis_Helper extends DisplayFeaturedImageGenesisG
 	 * @since 2.3.0
 	 */
 	public function render_buttons( $id, $name ) {
-		$id = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_check_image_id( $id );
 		$id = $id ? (int) $id : '';
 		printf( '<input type="hidden" class="upload_image_id" name="%1$s" value="%2$s" />', esc_attr( $name ), esc_attr( $id ) );
 		printf( '<input id="%s" type="button" class="upload_default_image button-secondary" value="%s" />',
diff --git a/includes/settings/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-settings-terms.php b/includes/settings/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-settings-terms.php
index aa7c65e..1cea00d 100644
--- a/includes/settings/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-settings-terms.php
+++ b/includes/settings/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-settings-terms.php
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ class Display_Featured_Image_Genesis_Settings_Terms {
 				$option  = get_option( esc_attr( $option_key ), false );
 				$term    = get_term( (int) $term_id );
 				if ( ! is_wp_error( $term ) && ! is_null( $term ) ) {
-					$image_id = (int) displayfeaturedimagegenesis_check_image_id( $option['term_image'] );
+					$image_id = (int) $option['term_image'];
 					update_term_meta( $term_id, 'displayfeaturedimagegenesis', $image_id );
 				}
 				if ( false !== $option ) {
diff --git a/includes/settings/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-settings-validate.php b/includes/settings/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-settings-validate.php
index a44572f..9546b0e 100644
--- a/includes/settings/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-settings-validate.php
+++ b/includes/settings/class-displayfeaturedimagegenesis-settings-validate.php
@@ -132,11 +132,9 @@ class Display_Featured_Image_Genesis_Settings_Validate extends Display_Featured_
 			return '';
 		}
 
-		$new_value = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_check_image_id( $new_value );
-		$old_value = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_check_image_id( $old_value );
-		$source    = wp_get_attachment_image_src( $new_value, 'full' );
-		$valid     = (bool) $this->is_valid_img_ext( $source[0] );
-		$width     = $source[1];
+		$source = wp_get_attachment_image_src( $new_value, 'full' );
+		$valid  = (bool) $this->is_valid_img_ext( $source[0] );
+		$width  = $source[1];
 
 		if ( $valid && $width > $size_to_check ) {
 			return (int) $new_value;
diff --git a/includes/widgets/displayfeaturedimagegenesis-cpt-archive-widget.php b/includes/widgets/displayfeaturedimagegenesis-cpt-archive-widget.php
index 395f66c..4f55abf 100644
--- a/includes/widgets/displayfeaturedimagegenesis-cpt-archive-widget.php
+++ b/includes/widgets/displayfeaturedimagegenesis-cpt-archive-widget.php
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ class Display_Featured_Image_Genesis_Widget_CPT extends WP_Widget {
 			}
 			$image_id = $postspage_image;
 		} elseif ( isset( $option['post_type'][ $post_type->name ] ) && $option['post_type'][ $post_type->name ] ) {
-			$image_id = displayfeaturedimagegenesis_check_image_id( $option['post_type'][ $post_type->name ] );
+			$image_id = $option['post_type'][ $post_type->name ];
 		}
 
 		return $image_id;