diff --git a/src_files/eval.cpp b/src_files/eval.cpp
index 3751a15..59e99e7 100644
--- a/src_files/eval.cpp
+++ b/src_files/eval.cpp
@@ -74,7 +74,9 @@ using avx_register_type_32 = int32x4_t;
 #define avx_max_epi16(a, b) (vmaxq_s16(a, b))
 #endif
 
+#ifndef NO_EMBED_NET
 INCBIN(Eval, EVALFILE);
+#endif
 
 inline int32_t sumRegisterEpi32(avx_register_type_32& reg) {
     // first summarize in case of avx512 registers into one 256 bit register
@@ -104,6 +106,54 @@ inline int32_t sumRegisterEpi32(avx_register_type_32& reg) {
 #endif
 }
 
+#ifdef NO_EMBED_NET
+#include <cstdio>
+bool nn::networkLoaded = false;
+static constexpr long NETWORK_FILE_SIZE =
+    (long) (INPUT_SIZE * HIDDEN_SIZE * sizeof(int16_t) + HIDDEN_SIZE * sizeof(int16_t)
+            + HIDDEN_DSIZE * OUTPUT_SIZE * sizeof(int16_t) + OUTPUT_SIZE * sizeof(int32_t));
+
+bool nn::loadNetwork(const char* path, std::string& err) {
+    FILE* f = std::fopen(path, "rb");
+    if (!f) {
+        err = "cannot open file";
+        return false;
+    }
+    std::fseek(f, 0, SEEK_END);
+    long size = std::ftell(f);
+    std::fseek(f, 0, SEEK_SET);
+    if (size != NETWORK_FILE_SIZE) {
+        std::fclose(f);
+        err = "wrong file size " + std::to_string(size) + ", expected " + std::to_string(NETWORK_FILE_SIZE);
+        return false;
+    }
+    bool ok = std::fread(inputWeights, sizeof(int16_t), INPUT_SIZE * HIDDEN_SIZE, f) == (size_t) (INPUT_SIZE * HIDDEN_SIZE)
+           && std::fread(inputBias, sizeof(int16_t), HIDDEN_SIZE, f) == (size_t) HIDDEN_SIZE
+           && std::fread(hiddenWeights, sizeof(int16_t), HIDDEN_DSIZE * OUTPUT_SIZE, f) == (size_t) (HIDDEN_DSIZE * OUTPUT_SIZE)
+           && std::fread(hiddenBias, sizeof(int32_t), OUTPUT_SIZE, f) == (size_t) OUTPUT_SIZE;
+    std::fclose(f);
+    if (!ok) {
+        std::memset(inputWeights, 0, sizeof(inputWeights));
+        std::memset(inputBias, 0, sizeof(inputBias));
+        std::memset(hiddenWeights, 0, sizeof(hiddenWeights));
+        std::memset(hiddenBias, 0, sizeof(hiddenBias));
+        err = "read error";
+        return false;
+    }
+    networkLoaded = true;
+    return true;
+}
+
+void nn::init() {
+    // weights stay zero until EvalFile is set
+}
+#else
+bool nn::networkLoaded = true;
+bool nn::loadNetwork(const char*, std::string& err) {
+    err = "this build has the net built in";
+    return false;
+}
+
 void nn::init() {
     int memoryIndex = 0;
     std::memcpy(inputWeights, &gEvalData[memoryIndex], INPUT_SIZE * HIDDEN_SIZE * sizeof(int16_t));
@@ -116,6 +166,7 @@ void nn::init() {
     std::memcpy(hiddenBias, &gEvalData[memoryIndex], OUTPUT_SIZE * sizeof(int32_t));
     memoryIndex += OUTPUT_SIZE * sizeof(int32_t);
 }
+#endif
 
 int nn::index(bb::PieceType pieceType, bb::Color pieceColor, bb::Square square, bb::Color view,
               bb::Square kingSquare) {
diff --git a/src_files/eval.h b/src_files/eval.h
index c0a22bd..4b1d159 100644
--- a/src_files/eval.h
+++ b/src_files/eval.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include <immintrin.h>
 #endif
 #include <vector>
+#include <string>
 #include <memory>
 
 #define INPUT_SIZE     (bb::N_PIECE_TYPES * bb::N_SQUARES * 2 * 16)
@@ -61,6 +62,10 @@ extern int32_t hiddenBias   [OUTPUT_SIZE];
 // initialise and load the weights
 void init();
 
+// Rama Chess patch: load the net from a file (UCI option EvalFile)
+bool loadNetwork(const char* path, std::string& err);
+extern bool networkLoaded;
+
 // computes the index for a piece (piece type) and its color on the specified square
 // also takes the view from with we view at the board as well as the king square of the view side
 [[nodiscard]] int index(bb::PieceType pieceType, bb::Color pieceColor, bb::Square square,
diff --git a/src_files/uci.cpp b/src_files/uci.cpp
index 9122ad3..9b74d5c 100644
--- a/src_files/uci.cpp
+++ b/src_files/uci.cpp
@@ -118,6 +118,9 @@ void uci::mainloop(int argc, char* argv[]) {
 void uci::uci() {
     std::cout << "id name Koivisto " << MAJOR_VERSION << "." << MINOR_VERSION << std::endl;
     std::cout << "id author K. Kahre, F. Eggers" << std::endl;
+#ifdef NO_EMBED_NET
+    std::cout << "option name EvalFile type string default <empty>" << std::endl;
+#endif
     std::cout << "option name Hash type spin default 16 min 1 max " << maxTTSize() << std::endl;
     std::cout << "option name Threads type spin default 1 min 1 max " << MAX_THREADS << std::endl;
     std::cout << "option name OwnBook type check default false" << std::endl;
@@ -221,8 +224,33 @@ void uci::processCommand(std::string str) {
         const std::string name  = getValue(split, "name");
         const std::string value = getValue(split, "value");
 
+#ifdef NO_EMBED_NET
+        if (name == "EvalFile") {
+            // take everything after " value " so paths with spaces work
+            std::string path = value;
+            size_t      pos  = str.find(" value ");
+            if (pos != std::string::npos)
+                { std::string rest = str.substr(pos + 7); path = trim(rest); }
+            uci::stop();
+            std::string err;
+            if (nn::loadNetwork(path.c_str(), err)) {
+                board = Board();
+                searchObject.clearHash();
+                searchObject.clearHistory();
+                std::cout << "info string EvalFile loaded: " << path << std::endl;
+            } else {
+                std::cout << "info string ERROR: EvalFile " << path << ": " << err << std::endl;
+            }
+            return;
+        }
+#endif
         uci::set_option(name, value);
     } else if (split.at(0) == "go") {
+        if (!nn::networkLoaded) {
+            std::cout << "info string ERROR: no net loaded, send setoption name EvalFile value <path> first" << std::endl;
+            std::cout << "bestmove 0000" << std::endl;
+            return;
+        }
         go(split, str);
     } else if (split.at(0) == "stop") {
         uci::stop();
@@ -267,6 +295,10 @@ void uci::processCommand(std::string str) {
         uci::eval();
         
     } else if (split.at(0) == "bench"){
+        if (!nn::networkLoaded) {
+            std::cout << "info string ERROR: no net loaded, send setoption name EvalFile value <path> first" << std::endl;
+            return;
+        }
         bench();
     } else if (split.at(0) == "exit" || split.at(0) == "quit"){
         exit(0);