diff --git a/subscriptions/views.py b/subscriptions/views.py
index 14bde1a..6ebf240 100644
--- a/subscriptions/views.py
+++ b/subscriptions/views.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def app_store_webhook(request):
     fulljson = json.loads(decoded)
     signedPayload = fulljson['signedPayload']
 
-    root_certificates = _get_root_cert(None)
+    root_certificates = load_root_certificate()
     enable_online_checks = True
     bundle_id = "stax.SlashPoker.nosebleed"
     environment = Environment.SANDBOX
@@ -117,6 +117,13 @@ def app_store_webhook(request):
 #   except (ValueError, KeyError, jwt.exceptions.PyJWTError, X509StoreContextError) as err:
 #     raise InvalidTokenError from err
 #
+
+def load_root_certificate():
+    in_file = open("AppleRootCA-G3.cer", "rb") # opening for [r]eading as [b]inary
+    data = in_file.read() # if you only wanted to read 512 bytes, do .read(512)
+    in_file.close()
+    return data
+
 def _get_root_cert(root_cert_path):
 
   fn = os.environ.get("APPLE_ROOT_CA")