diff --git a/early-init.el b/early-init.el
index 8367f52..4573f49 100644
--- a/early-init.el
+++ b/early-init.el
@@ -8,11 +8,13 @@
 ;; Add the whomp.d directory to the load path
 (add-to-list 'load-path (expand-file-name "whomp.d" user-emacs-directory))
 
-
 ;;
 ;; Package management dependencies
 ;;
 
+(add-to-list 'package-archives
+             '("melpa-stable" . "https://stable.melpa.org/packages/") t)
+
 ;; And disable package at startup
 (setq package-enable-at-startup nil)
 
diff --git a/whomp/whomp-notes.el b/whomp/whomp-notes.el
index a98c806..27c3601 100644
--- a/whomp/whomp-notes.el
+++ b/whomp/whomp-notes.el
@@ -11,23 +11,23 @@
 
 (when (memq 'howm whomp-notes)
 	(use-package howm
-		:straight t
-		:defer t)
-	;; Directory configuration
-	(whomp/ensure-directory-exists "~/org")
-	(setq howm-home-directory "~/org/")
-	(setq howm-directory "~/org/")
-	(setq howm-keyword-file (expand-file-name ".howm-keys" howm-home-directory))
-	(setq howm-history-file (expand-file-name ".howm-history" howm-home-directory))
-	(setq howm-file-name-format "%Y/%m/%Y%m%d%H%M%S.org")
-
-	;; Search optimisation
-	(setq howm-view-use-grep t)  ;; use external grep
-	(setq howm-menu-refresh-after-save nil)
-	(setq howm-menu-expiry-hours 2)  ;; cache menu N hours
-	(setq howm-menu-file "00000000000000.txt")  ;; don't *search*
-
-	(message "HOWM loaded"))
+		:ensure t
+		:init
+		;; Directory configuration
+		(whomp/ensure-directory-exists "~/org")
+		(setq howm-home-directory "~/org/")
+		(setq howm-directory "~/org/")
+		(setq howm-keyword-file (expand-file-name ".howm-keys" howm-home-directory))
+		(setq howm-history-file (expand-file-name ".howm-history" howm-home-directory))
+		(setq howm-file-name-format "%Y/%m/%Y%m%d%H%M%S.org")
+		
+		;; Search optimisation
+		(setq howm-view-use-grep t)  ;; use external grep
+		(setq howm-menu-refresh-after-save nil)
+		(setq howm-menu-expiry-hours 2)  ;; cache menu N hours
+		(setq howm-menu-file "00000000000000.txt")  ;; don't *search*
+		
+		(message "HOWM loaded")))
 
 (message "W.H.O.M.P. Note Taking packages loaded")
 (provide 'whomp-notes)