diff --git a/src/allencell_ml_segmenter/prediction/service.py b/src/allencell_ml_segmenter/prediction/service.py
index ac84d1aa..4d1cd690 100644
--- a/src/allencell_ml_segmenter/prediction/service.py
+++ b/src/allencell_ml_segmenter/prediction/service.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def extract_num_channels_in_folder(self, path: Path) -> int:
         path_generator: Generator[Path] = path.glob("*")
         first_image: Path = next(path_generator)
         # ignore hidden files
-        while str(first_image.name).split(".")[0] == "":
+        while str(first_image.name).startswith("."):
             first_image = next(path_generator)
 
         img: AICSImage = AICSImage(str(first_image.resolve()))