diff --git a/hooks/post_gen_project.py b/hooks/post_gen_project.py
index 90f9f7fba..6927f3804 100644
--- a/hooks/post_gen_project.py
+++ b/hooks/post_gen_project.py
@@ -10,11 +10,11 @@ TODO: restrict Cookiecutter Django project initialization to
 """
 from __future__ import print_function
 
+import json
 import os
 import random
 import shutil
 import string
-import json
 
 try:
     # Inspired by
@@ -328,22 +328,28 @@ def handle_licenses():
         "GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0": "COPYING.LESSER",
         "The Unlicense": "UNLICENSE",
     }
-    with open(os.path.join("licenses", "-temporary-placeholder.txt")) as f:
-        selected_title = f.readline()
 
-    with open('../licenses.json', 'r') as f:
+    selected_title = """{{ cookiecutter.open_source_license }}"""
+
+    if selected_title == "Not open source":
+        os.remove("CONTRIBUTORS.txt")
+        shutil.rmtree("licenses")
+        return
+
+    with open(os.path.join("licenses", "licenses.json")) as f:
         titles_dict = json.load(f)
     # access the title to filename dictionary to find the correct file
     # using a dictionary instead of looping reduces time complexity
     with open(os.path.join("licenses", titles_dict[selected_title])) as f:
         contents = f.readlines()
 
-    with open(special_license_files.get(titles_dict[selected_title], "LICENSE"), "w") as f:
+    with open(
+        special_license_files.get(titles_dict[selected_title], "LICENSE"), "w"
+    ) as f:
         # +2 to get rid of the --- and and an extra new line
-        f.writelines(contents[contents.index("---\n", 1) + 2:])
+        i = contents.index("---\n", 1) + 2
+        f.writelines(contents[i:])
 
-    if selected_title == "Not open source":
-        os.remove("CONTRIBUTORS.txt")
     shutil.rmtree("licenses")
 
 
diff --git a/scripts/check_licenses.py b/scripts/check_licenses.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d14b84e4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check_licenses.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import os
+import re
+from pprint import pprint
+
+
+# script to check if licenses generated have placeholders not replaced
+def check_scripts_for_placeholders():
+    brackets = []
+    for filename in os.listdir("../{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/licenses"):
+        file = open(
+            "../{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/licenses/" + filename, encoding="utf8"
+        )
+
+        # 'found' stores all found bracket instances
+        found = []
+
+        # dashes counts the '---\n' lines in the licenses.
+        # it skips instances of brackets until after 2 as to skip the jekyll header
+        dashes = 0
+        for i, line in enumerate(file.readlines()):
+            if line == "---\n":
+                dashes += 1
+            # skips any possible brackets until the jekyll header is skipped
+            if dashes < 2:
+                continue
+            line = re.findall(r"\[.*\]", line)
+            if line != []:
+                found += (i, line)
+
+        # add any found instances of placeholders to the brackets array
+        # print it after the loop is executed
+        if found != []:
+            brackets += (filename, found)
+    if len(brackets) > 0:
+        print()
+        pprint(brackets)
+    assert len(brackets) == 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    check_scripts_for_placeholders()
diff --git a/scripts/update_licenses.py b/scripts/update_licenses.py
index 66146e110..562c31300 100644
--- a/scripts/update_licenses.py
+++ b/scripts/update_licenses.py
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ import json
 import os
 import re
 from pathlib import Path
+
 from github import Github
 
 CURRENT_FILE = Path(__file__)
 ROOT = CURRENT_FILE.parents[1]
 GITHUB_TOKEN = os.getenv("GITHUB_TOKEN", None)
 
+
 def main() -> None:
     """
     Script entry point.
@@ -20,15 +22,18 @@ def main() -> None:
     for file in repo.get_contents("_licenses", "gh-pages"):
         content = codecs.decode(file.decoded_content)
         # make below line into a dictionary mapping to filename
-        titles_dict[content.split("\n", maxsplit=2)[1].replace("title: ", "")] = file.name
-        #titles.append(content.split("\n", maxsplit=2)[1].replace("title: ", ""))
+        titles_dict[
+            content.split("\n", maxsplit=2)[1].replace("title: ", "")
+        ] = file.name
         path = license_dir / file.name
         if not path.is_file():
             path.touch()
             (license_dir / file.name).write_text(replace_content_options(content))
 
-    # write the titles dictionary to a json file and put it in workflows so it can be accessed by other files
-    with open('licenses.json', 'w') as licenses_dict:
+    # write the titles dictionary to a json file so it can be accessed by other files
+    with open(
+        "{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/licenses/licenses.json", "w"
+    ) as licenses_dict:
         json.dump(titles_dict, licenses_dict, indent=2)
     # Put "Not open source" at front so people know it's an option
     front_options = [
@@ -60,7 +65,7 @@ def update_cookiecutter(titles: list):
     with open("cookiecutter.json") as f:
         data = json.load(f)
     data["open_source_license"] = titles
-    with open("cookiecutter.json", "wt") as f:
+    with open("cookiecutter.json", "w") as f:
         json.dump(data, f, indent=2)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_licenses.py b/tests/test_licenses.py
deleted file mode 100644
index a501de208..000000000
--- a/tests/test_licenses.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-"""Unit tests for licenses"""
-import os
-import re
-from pprint import pprint
-from pathlib import Path
-
-import pytest
-
-
-# script to check if licenses generated have placeholders not replaced with cookiecutter rendering
-def test_scripts_for_placeholders():
-    brackets = []
-    for filename in os.listdir('../{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/licenses'):
-        file = open('../{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/licenses/' + filename, 'r', encoding="utf8")
-
-        # 'found' stores all found bracket instances
-        found = []
-        # dashes counts the '---\n' lines in the licenses. it skips instances of brackets until after the first 2 as to
-        # skip the jekyll header
-        dashes = 0
-        for i, line in enumerate(file.readlines()):
-            if line == '---\n':
-                dashes += 1
-            # skips any possible brackets until the jekyll header is skipped
-            if dashes < 2:
-                continue
-            line = re.findall(r'\[.*\]', line)
-            if line != []:
-                found += (i, line)
-
-        # add any found instaces of bracket placeholders to the brackets array, and print it after the loop is executed
-        if found != []:
-            brackets += (filename, found)
-    if len(brackets) > 0:
-        print()
-        pprint(brackets)
-    assert(len(brackets) == 0)
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/licenses/-temporary-placeholder.txt b/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/licenses/-temporary-placeholder.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f5be03a8c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/licenses/-temporary-placeholder.txt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{{ cookiecutter.open_source_license }}
diff --git a/licenses.json b/{{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/licenses/licenses.json
similarity index 100%
rename from licenses.json
rename to {{cookiecutter.project_slug}}/licenses/licenses.json