diff --git a/compas_python_utils/detailed_evolution_plotter/plot_detailed_evolution.py b/compas_python_utils/detailed_evolution_plotter/plot_detailed_evolution.py
index 88deb6a1..9ce67eec 100644
--- a/compas_python_utils/detailed_evolution_plotter/plot_detailed_evolution.py
+++ b/compas_python_utils/detailed_evolution_plotter/plot_detailed_evolution.py
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
 import argparse
 import tempfile
 from pathlib import Path
-from .plot_to_json import get_plot_data, get_events_data, NumpyEncoder
-import json
 
 IMG_DIR = Path(__file__).parent / "van_den_heuvel_figures"
 
@@ -26,10 +24,10 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument('--outdir', type=str, default='.', help='Path to the directory to save the figures')
     parser.add_argument('--dont-show', action='store_false', help='Dont show the plots')
     args = parser.parse_args()
-    run_main_plotter(args.data_path, outdir=args.outdir, show=args.dont_show, as_json=True)
+    run_main_plotter(args.data_path, outdir=args.outdir, show=args.dont_show)
     
 
-def run_main_plotter(data_path, outdir='.', show=True, as_json=False):
+def run_main_plotter(data_path, outdir='.', show=True):
 
     ### Collect the raw data and mask for just the end-of-timesteps events
     RawData = h5.File(data_path, 'r')
@@ -45,15 +43,13 @@ def run_main_plotter(data_path, outdir='.', show=True, as_json=False):
     printEvolutionaryHistory(events=events)
 
     ### Produce the two plots
-    detailed = makeDetailedPlots(Data, events, outdir=outdir, as_json=as_json)
-    vdh = plotVanDenHeuvel(events=events, outdir=outdir, as_json=as_json)
-
-    if as_json:
-        return json.dumps({**detailed, **vdh}, cls=NumpyEncoder)
+    detailed_fig = makeDetailedPlots(Data, events, outdir=outdir)
+    vdh_fig, vdh_events = plotVanDenHeuvel(events=events, outdir=outdir)
 
     if show:
         plt.show()
 
+    return detailed_fig, vdh_fig, vdh_events
 
 def set_font_params():
     use_latex = shutil.which("latex") is not None
@@ -75,7 +71,7 @@ def set_font_params():
 
 ####### Functions to organize and call the plotting functions
 
-def makeDetailedPlots(Data=None, events=None, outdir='.', show=True, as_json=False):
+def makeDetailedPlots(Data=None, events=None, outdir='.', show=True):
     listOfPlots = [plotMassAttributes, plotLengthAttributes, plotStellarTypeAttributes, plotHertzsprungRussell]
 
     events = [event for event in events if event.eventClass != 'Stype']  # want to ignore simple stellar type changes
@@ -132,12 +128,10 @@ def makeDetailedPlots(Data=None, events=None, outdir='.', show=True, as_json=Fal
     fig.suptitle('Detailed evolution for seed = {}'.format(Data['SEED'][()][0]), fontsize=18)
     fig.tight_layout(h_pad=1, w_pad=1, rect=(0.08, 0.08, .98, .98), pad=0.)  # (left, bottom, right, top)
 
-    if as_json:
-        fig_json = get_plot_data([('mass_plot', ax1), ('length_plot', ax2), ('hr_plot', ax4)])
-        plt.close('all')
-        return fig_json
-
-    safe_save_figure(fig, f'{outdir}/detailedEvolutionPlot.png', bbox_inches='tight', pad_inches=0, format='png')
+    if outdir is not None:
+        safe_save_figure(fig, f'{outdir}/detailedEvolutionPlot.png', bbox_inches='tight', pad_inches=0, format='png')
+    
+    return fig
 
 
 ######## Plotting functions
@@ -307,11 +301,9 @@ def get_L(t):  # assumes K
 
     return ax.get_legend_handles_labels()
 
-def plotVanDenHeuvel(events=None, outdir='.', as_json=False):
+def plotVanDenHeuvel(events=None, outdir='.'):
     # Only want events with an associated image
     events = [event for event in events if (event.eventImage is not None)]
-    if as_json:
-        return get_events_data(events)
 
     num_events = len(events)
     fig, axs = plt.subplots(num_events, 1)
@@ -344,9 +336,11 @@ def plotVanDenHeuvel(events=None, outdir='.', as_json=False):
         axs[ii].annotate(chr(ord('@') + 1 + ii), xy=(-0.15, 0.8), xycoords='axes fraction', fontsize=8,
                          fontweight='bold')
 
-    file_path = os.path.join(outdir, 'vanDenHeuvelPlot.eps')
-    safe_save_figure(fig, file_path, bbox_inches='tight', pad_inches=0, format='eps')
-    return fig
+    if outdir is not None:
+        file_path = os.path.join(outdir, 'vanDenHeuvelPlot.eps')
+        safe_save_figure(fig, file_path, bbox_inches='tight', pad_inches=0, format='eps')
+
+    return fig, events
 
 
 ### Helper functions
diff --git a/compas_python_utils/detailed_evolution_plotter/plot_to_json.py b/compas_python_utils/detailed_evolution_plotter/plot_to_json.py
index c78eeeab..283130d6 100644
--- a/compas_python_utils/detailed_evolution_plotter/plot_to_json.py
+++ b/compas_python_utils/detailed_evolution_plotter/plot_to_json.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 from matplotlib.lines import _get_dash_pattern, _scale_dashes
 from matplotlib.colors import to_hex, to_rgba
+from compas_python_utils.detailed_evolution_plotter.plot_detailed_evolution import run_main_plotter
 
 
 class NumpyEncoder(json.JSONEncoder):
@@ -372,3 +373,25 @@ def get_events_data(events):
             for i, event in enumerate(events)
         ]
     }
+
+
+def get_plot_json(data_path):
+    """Get a JSON string containing the information needed to render line and VDH plots on the
+    GWLandscape service for a specific COMPAS output file
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    data_path : str or Path
+        Path to the COMPAS output file
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    str
+        JSON string containing 
+    """
+    detailed_fig, _, events = run_main_plotter(data_path, outdir=None, show=False)
+    axes = detailed_fig.get_axes()
+    plots_data = get_plot_data([('mass_plot', axes[0]), ('length_plot', axes[1]), ('hr_plot', axes[3])])
+    events_data = get_events_data(events)
+    return json.dumps({**plots_data, **events_data}, cls=NumpyEncoder)
+    
\ No newline at end of file