diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 22213e3..1f07e14 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "@openzeppelin/contracts": "^4.3.2",
     "@truffle/hdwallet-provider": "^1.4.2",
-    "dotenv": "^10.0.0",
+    "dotenv": "^16.3.1",
     "truffle": "^5.4.3",
     "web3": "^1.6.0"
   },
diff --git a/scripts/deposit.js b/scripts/deposit.js
index c8555ec..11df19c 100644
--- a/scripts/deposit.js
+++ b/scripts/deposit.js
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 const Web3 = require('web3')
-
+const path = require('path')
 const { abi } = require('../build/contracts/IERC677.json')
 const { abi: depositABI } = require('../build/contracts/IDepositContract.json')
 
+require('dotenv').config({ path: path.resolve(__dirname, '.env') })
+
 const {
   RPC_URL,
   GAS_PRICE,
@@ -19,7 +21,11 @@ const {
 const web3 = new Web3(RPC_URL)
 const { address } = web3.eth.accounts.wallet.add(STAKING_ACCOUNT_PRIVATE_KEY)
 
-const depositData = require(process.argv[2])
+const depositDataFilepath = process.argv[2]
+if (!depositDataFilepath) {
+  throw Error('must provide positional argument $deposit_data_filepath')
+}
+const depositData = readJson(depositDataFilepath) 
 
 const batchSize = parseInt(BATCH_SIZE, 10)
 const offset = parseInt(OFFSET, 10)
@@ -154,4 +160,14 @@ async function getPastLogs(contract, event, { fromBlock, toBlock }) {
   }
 }
 
+function readJson(filepath) {
+  const s = fs.readFileSync(filepath)
+  try {
+    return JSON.parse(s)
+  } catch (e) {
+    e.message = `error parsing JSON string: ${e.message}\n${s}` 
+    throw e
+  }
+}
+
 main()
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index d592f14..2091ae9 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -2543,10 +2543,10 @@ dot-prop@^6.0.1:
   dependencies:
     is-obj "^2.0.0"
 
-dotenv@^10.0.0:
-  version "10.0.0"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/dotenv/-/dotenv-10.0.0.tgz#3d4227b8fb95f81096cdd2b66653fb2c7085ba81"
-  integrity sha512-rlBi9d8jpv9Sf1klPjNfFAuWDjKLwTIJJ/VxtoTwIR6hnZxcEOQCZg2oIL3MWBYw5GpUDKOEnND7LXTbIpQ03Q==
+dotenv@^16.3.1:
+  version "16.3.1"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/dotenv/-/dotenv-16.3.1.tgz#369034de7d7e5b120972693352a3bf112172cc3e"
+  integrity sha512-IPzF4w4/Rd94bA9imS68tZBaYyBWSCE47V1RGuMrB94iyTOIEwRmVL2x/4An+6mETpLrKJ5hQkB8W4kFAadeIQ==
 
 double-ended-queue@2.1.0-0:
   version "2.1.0-0"