diff --git a/biocham_jupyter/kernel/biocham_kernel/kernel.py b/biocham_jupyter/kernel/biocham_kernel/kernel.py
index 9f5049de91a57821d48d808052ea5bc5738ec702..19a1b7fd78372e6a0f5feb9fcb1b7e5eb6891c9a 100644
--- a/biocham_jupyter/kernel/biocham_kernel/kernel.py
+++ b/biocham_jupyter/kernel/biocham_kernel/kernel.py
@@ -207,11 +207,16 @@ class BiochamKernel(IPythonKernel):     # pylint: disable=too-many-ancestors
                 with open(bcfile, 'r') as bcinput:
                     lines = bcinput.read().split('.\n')
                 # create a cell after current cell for each dotted command
-                return 'loading {}'.format(bcfile), [{
+                empty_cell = [{
                     'source': 'set_next_input',
-                    'text': line.strip() + '.',
+                    'text': '',
                     'replace': False,
-                } for line in reversed(lines) if line.strip()]
+                    }]
+                command_cells = [{'source': 'set_next_input',
+                                  'text': line.strip() + '.',
+                                  'replace': False,
+                                  } for line in reversed(lines) if line.strip()]
+                return 'loading {}'.format(bcfile), empty_cell + command_cells
             except FileNotFoundError:
                 return "File doesn't exists", []