diff --git a/package.yaml b/package.yaml
index 134020b..79044c4 100644
--- a/package.yaml
+++ b/package.yaml
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ dependencies:
 - brick >= 2.1.1 && < 2.2
 - vty >= 6.1 && < 6.2
 - mtl >= 2.3.1 && < 2.4
+- easy-file >= 0.2.5 && < 0.3
 
 ghc-options:
 - -Wall
diff --git a/passman.cabal b/passman.cabal
index 7a40e37..4785b27 100644
--- a/passman.cabal
+++ b/passman.cabal
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ cabal-version: 2.2
 --
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 --
--- hash: fb2b45c8e1d5aead518c67637b3af5e78b55b8f0c5a95a34c20ca5d957527fa0
+-- hash: d18a8e1efd32ff2d20b0b1f5ac8186be5242411bd72a6a017fd9f97d401a9836
 
 name:           passman
 version:        0.3.1.1
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ library
     , brick >=2.1.1 && <2.2
     , bytestring >=0.11.4.0 && <0.12
     , containers >=0.6.2.1 && <0.7
+    , easy-file >=0.2.5 && <0.3
     , microlens >=0.4.11.2 && <0.5
     , microlens-mtl >=0.2.0.3 && <0.3
     , microlens-th >=0.4.3.6 && <0.5
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ executable passman
     , brick >=2.1.1 && <2.2
     , bytestring >=0.11.4.0 && <0.12
     , containers >=0.6.2.1 && <0.7
+    , easy-file >=0.2.5 && <0.3
     , microlens >=0.4.11.2 && <0.5
     , microlens-mtl >=0.2.0.3 && <0.3
     , microlens-th >=0.4.3.6 && <0.5
@@ -110,6 +112,7 @@ test-suite passman-test
     , brick >=2.1.1 && <2.2
     , bytestring >=0.11.4.0 && <0.12
     , containers >=0.6.2.1 && <0.7
+    , easy-file >=0.2.5 && <0.3
     , microlens >=0.4.11.2 && <0.5
     , microlens-mtl >=0.2.0.3 && <0.3
     , microlens-th >=0.4.3.6 && <0.5
diff --git a/src/Password/App.hs b/src/Password/App.hs
index 74f9c9e..30236be 100644
--- a/src/Password/App.hs
+++ b/src/Password/App.hs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ passmanApp = App
   { appDraw         = drawFunc
   , appChooseCursor = showFirstCursor
   , appHandleEvent  = eventHandler
-  , appStartEvent   = return ()
+  , appStartEvent   = loadDatabase
   , appAttrMap      = const $ attrMap (style 0) []
   }
 
diff --git a/src/Password/App/Event.hs b/src/Password/App/Event.hs
index a7eac47..65d2869 100644
--- a/src/Password/App/Event.hs
+++ b/src/Password/App/Event.hs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ License along with this program.  If not, see
 
 {-# LANGUAGE LambdaCase, OverloadedStrings #-}
 
-module Password.App.Event (eventHandler) where
+module Password.App.Event (eventHandler, loadDatabase) where
 
 import Brick (BrickEvent (VtyEvent), EventM, halt)
 import Brick.Forms (handleFormEvent)
@@ -39,13 +39,23 @@ import Brick.Keybindings
   , onEvent
   )
 import Control.Monad (unless)
-import Control.Monad.State.Class (gets)
+import Control.Monad.IO.Class (liftIO)
+import Control.Monad.State.Class (gets, put)
+import Data.Aeson (decodeFileStrict)
 import Graphics.Vty.Input.Events (Event (EvKey))
 import Lens.Micro ((^.))
 import Lens.Micro.Mtl (zoom)
+import System.EasyFile
+  ( createDirectoryIfMissing
+  , getAppUserDataDirectory
+  , (</>)
+  )
 
 import Password.App.Types
 
+dbFile :: String
+dbFile = "database.json"
+
 data KEventID = QuitKE deriving (Eq, Ord, Show)
 
 -- | The main event handler
@@ -55,6 +65,14 @@ eventHandler e@(VtyEvent (EvKey k m)) = do
   handleKey disp k m >>= flip unless (fallbackHandler e)
 eventHandler e = fallbackHandler e
 
+loadDatabase :: EventM ResName AppState ()
+loadDatabase = zoom database $ liftIO
+  ( do
+    dir <- mkAppDir
+    let fn = dir </> dbFile
+    decodeFileStrict fn
+  ) >>= mapM_ put
+
 fallbackHandler :: BrickEvent ResName () -> EventM ResName AppState ()
 fallbackHandler e = gets (^.appMode) >>= \case
   InitMode _ -> zoom (appMode.initState.setPassForm) $
@@ -76,4 +94,10 @@ getKeyDispatcher s = either (error "can't build dispatcher") id $
 keyBindingsFor :: AppState -> [(KEventID, [Binding])]
 keyBindingsFor = const [(QuitKE, [ctrl 'c'])]
 
+mkAppDir :: IO FilePath
+mkAppDir = do
+  path <- getAppUserDataDirectory "passman"
+  createDirectoryIfMissing True path
+  return path
+
 --jl