diff --git a/src/shimatta-opengl-program.c b/src/shimatta-opengl-program.c
index 3e807f5..5cab47a 100644
--- a/src/shimatta-opengl-program.c
+++ b/src/shimatta-opengl-program.c
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
 #include <shimatta-opengl-program.h>
 #include <epoxy/gl.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
 
 struct _ShimattaOpenglProgram {
 	GObject super;
@@ -149,12 +151,44 @@ gboolean shimatta_opengl_program_is_compiled(ShimattaOpenglProgram *program)
 	return priv->compiled;
 }
 
-static char *load_shader_from_source_file(const char *src_file)
+/**
+ * @brief This function loads the entire content of a file into a zero-terminated string
+ * @param src_file Path to the source file
+ * @return Newly created buffer containing file content. NULL in case of an error.
+ * @note The returend buffer has to be deleted by the caller using g_free()
+ */
+static gchar *load_shader_from_source_file(const char *src_file)
 {
+	FILE *fil;
+	long int end_position;
+	gchar *file_content;
 
+	if (!src_file)
+		return NULL;
+
+	fil = fopen(src_file, "rb");
+	if (!fil) {
+		g_warning("Shader source file not found: %s", src_file);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	/* Get length of file */
+	fseek(fil, 0, SEEK_END);
+	end_position = ftell(fil);
+	fseek(fil, 0, SEEK_SET);
+
+	/* Allocate memory for file content */
+	file_content = (gchar *)g_malloc(end_position + 1);
+	fread(file_content, 1, end_position, fil);
+	fclose(fil);
+
+	/* Append null terminator */
+	file_content[end_position] = '\0';
+
+	return file_content;
 }
 
-static int compile_shader(const char *src, char *error_text, size_t error_text_size, gboolean use_error,
+static int compile_shader(const gchar *src, char *error_text, size_t error_text_size, gboolean use_error,
 			     GLuint shader_type, GLuint *shader_id_out)
 {
 	GLuint shader_id;
@@ -186,7 +220,7 @@ int shimatta_opengl_program_compile(ShimattaOpenglProgram *program, char *error_
 {
 	gboolean use_error = FALSE;
 	ShimattaOpenglProgramPrivate *priv;
-	char *shader_source_code;
+	gchar *shader_source_code;
 	int ret_val = 0;
 	int status;
 	GLint success;
@@ -224,7 +258,7 @@ int shimatta_opengl_program_compile(ShimattaOpenglProgram *program, char *error_
 		status = compile_shader(shader_source_code, error_text, error_text_size, use_error, GL_VERTEX_SHADER,
 					&vertex_shader);
 
-		free(shader_source_code);
+		g_free(shader_source_code);
 
 		if (status) {
 			ret_val = -2;
@@ -251,7 +285,7 @@ int shimatta_opengl_program_compile(ShimattaOpenglProgram *program, char *error_
 		status = compile_shader(shader_source_code, error_text, error_text_size, use_error, GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER,
 					&fragment_shader);
 
-		free(shader_source_code);
+		g_free(shader_source_code);
 
 		if (status) {
 			ret_val = -2;
@@ -278,7 +312,7 @@ int shimatta_opengl_program_compile(ShimattaOpenglProgram *program, char *error_
 		status = compile_shader(shader_source_code, error_text, error_text_size, use_error, GL_GEOMETRY_SHADER,
 					&geometry_shader);
 
-		free(shader_source_code);
+		g_free(shader_source_code);
 
 		if (status) {
 			ret_val = -2;