diff --git a/cereal/__init__.py b/cereal/__init__.py
index 89c5cf38e3..93f4d77227 100644
--- a/cereal/__init__.py
+++ b/cereal/__init__.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 import os
 import capnp
+from importlib.resources import as_file, files
 
-CEREAL_PATH = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
 capnp.remove_import_hook()
 
-log = capnp.load(os.path.join(CEREAL_PATH, "log.capnp"))
-car = capnp.load(os.path.join(CEREAL_PATH, "car.capnp"))
-custom = capnp.load(os.path.join(CEREAL_PATH, "custom.capnp"))
+with as_file(files("cereal")) as fspath:
+  CEREAL_PATH = fspath.as_posix()
+  log = capnp.load(os.path.join(CEREAL_PATH, "log.capnp"))
+  car = capnp.load(os.path.join(CEREAL_PATH, "car.capnp"))
+  custom = capnp.load(os.path.join(CEREAL_PATH, "custom.capnp"))