diff --git a/features/steps/core.py b/features/steps/core.py
index 4813b252a..83981d138 100644
--- a/features/steps/core.py
+++ b/features/steps/core.py
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ def check_journal_content(context, text, journal_name="default"):
 @then('journal "{journal_name}" should not exist')
 def journal_doesnt_exist(context, journal_name="default"):
     with open(install.CONFIG_FILE_PATH) as config_file:
-        config = yaml.load(config_file)
+        config = yaml.load(config_file, Loader=yaml.FullLoader)
     journal_path = config['journals'][journal_name]
     assert not os.path.exists(journal_path)
 
diff --git a/jrnl/plugins/template.py b/jrnl/plugins/template.py
index 0b4c533d1..f54f481af 100644
--- a/jrnl/plugins/template.py
+++ b/jrnl/plugins/template.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ def __init__(self, template):
     def from_file(cls, filename):
         with open(filename) as f:
             front_matter, body = f.read().strip("-\n").split("---", 2)
-            front_matter = yaml.load(front_matter)
+            front_matter = yaml.load(front_matter, Loader=yaml.FullLoader)
             template = cls(body)
         template.__dict__.update(front_matter)
         return template
diff --git a/jrnl/util.py b/jrnl/util.py
index 2cf540577..7f6688d8b 100644
--- a/jrnl/util.py
+++ b/jrnl/util.py
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ def load_config(config_path):
     """Tries to load a config file from YAML.
     """
     with open(config_path) as f:
-        return yaml.load(f)
+        return yaml.load(f, Loader=yaml.FullLoader)
 
 
 def scope_config(config, journal_name):