diff --git a/tools/mpremote/mpremote/mip.py b/tools/mpremote/mpremote/mip.py
index f42c7a0b42..4c5dc4f759 100644
--- a/tools/mpremote/mpremote/mip.py
+++ b/tools/mpremote/mpremote/mip.py
@@ -90,16 +90,29 @@ def _download_file(transport, url, dest):
 
 
 def _install_json(transport, package_json_url, index, target, version, mpy):
-    try:
-        with urllib.request.urlopen(_rewrite_url(package_json_url, version)) as response:
-            package_json = json.load(response)
-    except urllib.error.HTTPError as e:
-        if e.status == 404:
-            raise CommandError(f"Package not found: {package_json_url}")
-        else:
-            raise CommandError(f"Error {e.status} requesting {package_json_url}")
-    except urllib.error.URLError as e:
-        raise CommandError(f"{e.reason} requesting {package_json_url}")
+    if (
+        package_json_url.startswith("http://")
+        or package_json_url.startswith("https://")
+        or package_json_url.startswith("github:")
+    ):
+        try:
+            with urllib.request.urlopen(_rewrite_url(package_json_url, version)) as response:
+                package_json = json.load(response)
+        except urllib.error.HTTPError as e:
+            if e.status == 404:
+                raise CommandError(f"Package not found: {package_json_url}")
+            else:
+                raise CommandError(f"Error {e.status} requesting {package_json_url}")
+        except urllib.error.URLError as e:
+            raise CommandError(f"{e.reason} requesting {package_json_url}")
+    elif package_json_url.endswith(".json"):
+        try:
+            with open(package_json_url, "r") as f:
+                package_json = json.load(f)
+        except OSError:
+            raise CommandError(f"Error opening {package_json_url}")
+    else:
+        raise CommandError(f"Invalid url for package: {package_json_url}")
     for target_path, short_hash in package_json.get("hashes", ()):
         fs_target_path = target + "/" + target_path
         file_url = f"{index}/file/{short_hash[:2]}/{short_hash}"
@@ -129,6 +142,8 @@ def _install_package(transport, package, index, target, version, mpy):
                     package += "/"
                 package += "package.json"
             print(f"Installing {package} to {target}")
+    elif package.endswith(".json"):
+        pass
     else:
         if not version:
             version = "latest"