diff --git a/src/idpi/grib_decoder.py b/src/idpi/grib_decoder.py
index 135dae0d..b17f5538 100644
--- a/src/idpi/grib_decoder.py
+++ b/src/idpi/grib_decoder.py
@@ -5,11 +5,9 @@
 import sys
 import typing
 from contextlib import contextmanager
-from functools import partial
 from pathlib import Path
 
 # Third-party
-import dask
 import earthkit.data  # type: ignore
 import eccodes  # type: ignore
 import numpy as np
@@ -17,7 +15,10 @@
 
 # First-party
 import idpi.config
-from idpi.product import ProductDescriptor
+
+# Local
+from . import tasking
+from .product import ProductDescriptor
 
 DIM_MAP = {
     "level": "z",
@@ -147,7 +148,6 @@ def __init__(
 
         """
         self._datafiles = [str(p) for p in datafiles]
-        self._delayed = partial(dask.delayed, pure=True) if delay else (lambda x: x)
         if idpi.config.get("data_scope", "cosmo") == "cosmo":
             with cosmo_grib_defs():
                 self._grid = self.load_grid_reference(ref_param)
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ def _load_dataset(
         result = {}
 
         for param in _params:
-            result[param] = self._delayed(self._load_param)(param)  # type: ignore
+            result[param] = tasking.delayed(self._load_param)(param)
 
         if not _params == result.keys():
             raise RuntimeError(f"Missing params: {_params - data.keys()}")
diff --git a/src/idpi/product.py b/src/idpi/product.py
index e9721e74..c1e0297e 100644
--- a/src/idpi/product.py
+++ b/src/idpi/product.py
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 """Product base classes."""
-
 # Standard library
 import dataclasses as dc
 from abc import ABCMeta, abstractmethod
 
-# Third-party
-import dask
+# Local
+from . import tasking
 
 
 @dc.dataclass
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ def _run(self, **args):
 
     def __call__(self, *args):
         if self._delay_entire_product:
-            return dask.delayed(self._run, pure=True)(*args)
+            return tasking.delayed(self._run)(*args)
         else:
             return self._run(*args)
 
diff --git a/src/idpi/tasking.py b/src/idpi/tasking.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..82172732
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/idpi/tasking.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+"""functionality for tasking and parallel computing."""
+# Third-party
+import dask
+
+# First-party
+import idpi.config
+
+
+def delayed(fn):
+    return dask.delayed(fn, pure=True) if idpi.config.get("enable_dask", False) else fn
+
+
+def compute(*delayed_objs):
+    return (
+        dask.compute(*delayed_objs)
+        if idpi.config.get("enable_dask", False)
+        else delayed_objs
+    )