diff --git a/tts.py b/tts.py
index 35670f3..b019613 100755
--- a/tts.py
+++ b/tts.py
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ prep_texts = [
     "All systems green—let's make this a good one."
 ]
 
-dir_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
-demo_file = f"{dir_path}/demo/tongue-twister.txt"
+dir_path = os.path.expanduser('~')
+installed_demo_file = f"{dir_path}/.local/lib/simple-tts/demo/tongue-twister.txt"
 
 def parse_args():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Simple TTS - machine learning text-to-speech for your terminal", allow_abbrev=False)
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def parse_args():
         "-i",
         required=False,
         type=str,
-        default=demo_file,
+        default=installed_demo_file,
         help = "path to the input text file",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
@@ -169,10 +169,25 @@ def main():
             else:
                 cwd = os.getcwd()
                 file_path = os.path.join(cwd, args.input_file)
-                directory, file_name = os.path.split(file_path)
-                name = '.'.join(file_name.split('.')[:-1])
-                file = open(file_path, "r")
-                text = file.read()
+                is_default = file_path == installed_demo_file
+                default_exists = is_default and os.path.isfile(file_path)
+
+                if is_default:
+                    print(f"No input provided.")
+
+                    if not default_exists:
+                        script_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
+                        file_path = os.path.join(script_dir, 'demo/tongue-twister.txt')
+                        print(f"Using demo file: {file_path}")
+
+                if os.path.isfile(file_path):
+                    directory, file_name = os.path.split(file_path)
+                    name = '.'.join(file_name.split('.')[:-1])
+                    file = open(file_path, "r")
+                    text = file.read()
+                else:
+                    print("not a file", file_path)
+                    exit()
         else:
             name = "chat"
             text = args.input_text