diff --git a/config/visidatarc b/config/visidatarc
index ebc15c5..04612d0 100644
--- a/config/visidatarc
+++ b/config/visidatarc
@@ -79,8 +79,9 @@ def vendor(mac):
 def _get_vt():
     try:
         from virus_total_apis import PublicApi as VirusTotalPublicApi
-        with open('~/.virustotal_api_key') as af:
-            API_KEY = af.readline()
+        import os.path
+        with open(os.path.expanduser('~/.virustotal_api_key')) as af:
+            API_KEY = af.readline().strip()
         vt = VirusTotalPublicApi(API_KEY)
         return vt
     except: