diff --git a/lib/main.dart b/lib/main.dart
index c33dbcc..c319ab7 100644
--- a/lib/main.dart
+++ b/lib/main.dart
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import './person.dart';
 import './about.dart';
 
 void main() async {
+  // refuses to do anything in browser unless this is called
+  WidgetsFlutterBinding.ensureInitialized();
   List<Person> people = await getPeopleList();
   runApp(Senatorialkillers(
     people: people,
diff --git a/lib/person.dart b/lib/person.dart
index 8c58bb6..b5710b7 100644
--- a/lib/person.dart
+++ b/lib/person.dart
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import 'dart:convert';
 import 'dart:io';
 
+import 'package:flutter/services.dart';
+
 class Person {
   late String img;
   late String name;
@@ -23,7 +25,7 @@ class Person {
 }
 
 Future<List<Person>> getPeopleList() async {
-  String data = await File("assets/data.json").readAsString();
+  String data = await rootBundle.loadString('assets/data.json');
   List<dynamic> map = jsonDecode(data)["people"];
   List<Person> people = [];
   for (int i = 0; i < map.length - 1; i++) {