diff --git a/core/index.js b/core/index.js
index ac08f52c..3af52692 100644
--- a/core/index.js
+++ b/core/index.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-global.dde_version = "3.7.3"
+global.dde_version = "3.7.4"
 global.dde_release_date = "Feb 5, 2021"
 
 console.log("dde_version: " + global.dde_version + " dde_release_date: " + global.dde_release_date +
diff --git a/core/py.js b/core/py.js
index 5523bb51..c0968b5f 100644
--- a/core/py.js
+++ b/core/py.js
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ class Py{
        if      (operating_system === "win")   { Py.python_executable_path = "python" }
        else if (operating_system === "mac")   { Py.python_executable_path = "python3" } //python gets you python2.7
        else if (operating_system === "linux") { Py.python_executable_path = "python" }
-       Py.main_eval_py_path = __dirname + "/main_eval.py" //note that __dirname, when inside the job engine core folder,  ends in "/core" so don't stick that on the end.
+       if(!Py.main_eval_py_path) { Py.main_eval_py_path = dde_apps_folder + "/main_eval.py" }
+       //Py.main_eval_py_path = __dirname + "/main_eval.py" //note that __dirname, when inside the job engine core folder,  ends in "/core" so don't stick that on the end.
        out('Py.python_executable_path set to: <code>' + Py.python_executable_path + '</code>')
     }
     //document
@@ -259,7 +260,7 @@ module.exports.Py = Py
 
 Py.process = null //doc
 Py.python_executable_path = null
-Py.main_eval_py_path = null
+Py.main_eval_py_path = null //see comment in ready.js about copying main_eval.py to dde_apps_folder
 Py.callbacks = []
 
 var {replace_substrings} = require("./utils")
diff --git a/doc/guide.html b/doc/guide.html
index c3cebbce..4fdf7b0c 100644
--- a/doc/guide.html
+++ b/doc/guide.html
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 <details class="doc_details"><summary>About</summary>
     This is <a href="http://hdrobotic.com/" target="_blank">Dexter</a> Development Environment<br/>
-    version: <span id="dde_version_id">3.7.3</span><br/>
+    version: <span id="dde_version_id">3.7.4</span><br/>
     released: <span id="dde_release_date_id">Feb 5, 2021</span>
     <p></p>
     DDE helps you create, debug, and send software to a Dexter robot.
diff --git a/doc/release_notes.html b/doc/release_notes.html
index 4581af3e..b914523a 100644
--- a/doc/release_notes.html
+++ b/doc/release_notes.html
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
     }
     .doc_details summary { font-weight: 600; }
 </style>
+<details class="doc_details"><summary>v 3.7.4, Feb 5, 2021</summary>
+Fix for initializing Python process with the file system.
+</details>
+
 <details class="doc_details"><summary>v 3.7.3, Feb 5, 2021</summary>
 Highlights: New Python interface. New easy way to turn on/off the Startup operations
 in Dexter like the PHUI interface. Bug fixes for Linux, node server interface, show_window
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1d6d49a5..153817df 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "dexter_dev_env",
   "productName": "dexter_dev_env",
-  "version": "3.7.3",
+  "version": "3.7.4",
   "release_date": "Feb 5, 2021",
   "description": "Dexter Development Environment",
   "author": "Fry",
diff --git a/ready.js b/ready.js
index 4f437e68..444e2ec7 100644
--- a/ready.js
+++ b/ready.js
@@ -1546,6 +1546,10 @@ foo      //eval to see the latest values</pre>`,
     PatchDDE.init()
 
     dde_init_dot_js_initialize()//must occcur after persistent_initialize
+    copy_file_async(__dirname + "/core/main_eval.py", "main_eval.py") //because using __dirname + "/core/main_eval.py"
+        // in 2nd arg to spawn fails because spawn can't get a file out of the asar "folder".
+        //So I need to call spawn with a normal path when the Python process is launched.
+        //do this here so it will be ready by the time Py.init needs it.
     Dexter.default = (Dexter.dexter0 ?  Dexter.dexter0 : null )
     //initialize the checkbox state
     $("#animate_ui_checkbox_id").jqxCheckBox({ checked: persistent_get("animate_ui")})