diff --git a/clinica/pipelines/pet/linear/pipeline.py b/clinica/pipelines/pet/linear/pipeline.py
index 35df642f6..281f3b7f5 100644
--- a/clinica/pipelines/pet/linear/pipeline.py
+++ b/clinica/pipelines/pet/linear/pipeline.py
@@ -519,16 +519,16 @@ def _build_core_nodes(self):
                 [
                     (
                         normalize_intensity_node,
-                        crop_nifti_node,
+                        remove_background_node,
                         [("output_image", "input_image")],
                     ),
                     (
-                        crop_nifti_node,
                         remove_background_node,
+                        crop_nifti_node,
                         [("output_image", "input_image")],
                     ),
                     (
-                        remove_background_node,
+                        crop_nifti_node,
                         self.output_node,
                         [
                             ("output_image", "outfile_crop_no_bkgd")
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ def _build_core_nodes(self):
                     ),
                 ]
             )
-            last_node = remove_background_node
+            last_node = crop_nifti_node
         # Case 3: don't crop the image and remove the background
         elif (self.parameters.get("uncropped_image")) and (
             self.parameters.get("remove_background")