diff --git a/.config/nvim/lua/plugins/molten.lua b/.config/nvim/lua/plugins/molten.lua
index c69ada9..a6b6b0f 100644
--- a/.config/nvim/lua/plugins/molten.lua
+++ b/.config/nvim/lua/plugins/molten.lua
@@ -22,13 +22,24 @@ return {
       vim.schedule(function()
         local kernels = vim.fn.MoltenAvailableKernels()
         local try_kernel_name = function()
-          local metadata = vim.json.decode(io.open(e.file, "r"):read("a"))["metadata"]
-          return metadata.kernelspec.name
+          local f = io.open(e.file, "r")
+          if not f then
+            return nil
+          end
+          local content = f:read("*a")
+          f:close()
+          local ok, decoded = pcall(vim.json.decode, content)
+          if not ok then
+            return nil
+          end
+          return decoded.metadata
+            and decoded.metadata.kernelspec
+            and decoded.metadata.kernelspec.name
         end
         local ok, kernel_name = pcall(try_kernel_name)
         if not ok or not vim.tbl_contains(kernels, kernel_name) then
           kernel_name = nil
-          local venv = os.getenv("VIRTUAL_ENV") or os.getenv("CONDA_PREFIX")
+          local venv = os.getenv("VIRTUAL_ENV") or os.getenv("CONDA_PREFIX") or ".venv"
           if venv ~= nil then
             kernel_name = string.match(venv, "/.+/(.+)")
           end