diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 8a1839f..d43fde9 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 CC := gcc
-CFLAGS := -Wall -Wextra -O3 -flto=auto
+CFLAGS := -Wall -Wextra -O3 -flto=auto -lmagic
 CURSES := $(shell pkg-config --libs ncursesw)
 CFLAGS_DEBUG := $(CFLAGS) -ggdb
 CFLAGS_PROFILE := $(CFLAGS) -pg
diff --git a/file_previews.c b/file_previews.c
index ff1c24b..84e8115 100644
--- a/file_previews.c
+++ b/file_previews.c
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <magic.h>
 
 #include "backend.h"
 #include "defines.h"
@@ -12,6 +13,8 @@ static FILE *ueberzug = NULL;
 extern unsigned int terminal_height;
 extern unsigned int terminal_width;
 char previewd;
+magic_t cookie_type;
+magic_t cookie_description;
 
 char* text(file *f);
 void images_print(char *file_name);
@@ -19,24 +22,11 @@ void images_clear();
 char* generic(file *f);
 
 char* get_mimetype(file *f){
-	static const char *cmd_str = "file --mime-type -b";
-	char *cmd = parse_cmd(cmd_str, f);
+	char *mime = (char*)magic_file(cookie_type, f->file_name);
 
-	FILE *cmd_open = popen(cmd, "r");
-	char *line = NULL;
-	size_t size = 0;
-
-	free(cmd);
-	if (getline(&line, &size, cmd_open) != -1){
-		pclose(cmd_open);
-		return line;
-	} else {
-		pclose(cmd_open);
-		return "unknown";
-	}
+	return mime;
 }
 char* preview_file(file *f){ 
-	/* this calls "file" on path */
 
 	char *file_buffer;
 
@@ -46,19 +36,23 @@ char* preview_file(file *f){
 	images_clear();
 	#endif
 
-	if (strstr(mime, "text")) {
-		file_buffer = text(f);
-	#if SETTINGS_UEBERZUG_IMAGE_PREVIEW != 0
-	} else if (strstr(mime, "image")) {
-		file_buffer = generic(f);
-		images_print(f->file_name);
-		previewd = 1;
-	#endif
-	} else  {
+	if (mime != NULL) {
+		if (strstr(mime, "text")) {
+			file_buffer = text(f);
+		#if SETTINGS_UEBERZUG_IMAGE_PREVIEW != 0
+		} else if (strstr(mime, "image")) {
+			file_buffer = generic(f);
+			images_print(f->file_name);
+			previewd = 1;
+		#endif
+		} else {
+			file_buffer = generic(f);
+		} 
+	} else {
 		file_buffer = generic(f);
 	}
 
-	free(mime);
+	/*free(mime); seems like magic_file handles the free too*/
 	return file_buffer;
 
 }
@@ -80,21 +74,11 @@ char* text(file *f){
 	}
 }
 char* generic(file *f){
-	static const char *cmd_str = "file";
-	char *cmd = parse_cmd(cmd_str, f);
+	char *mime = (char*)magic_file(cookie_description, f->file_name);
+	char *buffer = malloc(strlen(mime)+1);
+	memcpy(buffer, mime, strlen(mime)+1);
+	return buffer;
 
-	FILE *cmd_open = popen(cmd, "r");
-	char *line = NULL;
-	size_t size = 0;
-
-	free(cmd);
-	if (getline(&line, &size, cmd_open) != -1) {
-		pclose(cmd_open);
-		return line;
-	} else {
-		pclose(cmd_open);
-		return "failed executing shell command \"file\"";
-	}
 }
 #if SETTINGS_UEBERZUG_IMAGE_PREVIEW != 0
 void images_clear(){
@@ -119,13 +103,18 @@ void images_print(char *file_name){
 	free(path);
 }
 void ueberzug_init(){
-
 	#if SETTINGS_UEBERZUG_IMAGE_PREVIEW == 2
 	ueberzug = popen("ueberzug layer -s ", "w");
 	#elif SETTINGS_UEBERZUG_IMAGE_PREVIEW == 1
 	ueberzug = popen("ueberzug layer -s --no-cache ", "w");
 	#endif
 }
+void file_preview_init(){
+	cookie_type = magic_open(MAGIC_MIME_TYPE);
+	cookie_description = magic_open(MAGIC_NONE);
+	magic_load(cookie_type, NULL);
+	magic_load(cookie_description, NULL);
+}
 void ueberzug_close(){
 	images_clear();
 	pclose(ueberzug);
diff --git a/file_previews.h b/file_previews.h
index 09f91b0..da59b37 100644
--- a/file_previews.h
+++ b/file_previews.h
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
 char* preview_file(file *f);
 char* get_mimetype(file *f);
 void images_clear();
-void ueberzug_init();
+void file_preview_init();
 #if SETTINGS_UEBERZUG_IMAGE_PREVIEW != 0
+void ueberzug_init();
 void ueberzug_close();
 #endif
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index d60582d..1da42a1 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ void init() {
 	#if SETTINGS_UEBERZUG_IMAGE_PREVIEW != 0
 	ueberzug_init(); /* in file_previews.c */
 	#endif
+	file_preview_init();
 
 	ESCDELAY = 10;
 	global_path = getcwd(NULL, 0);