diff --git a/geetools/ee_initialize.py b/geetools/ee_initialize.py
index a2793137..5feb398b 100644
--- a/geetools/ee_initialize.py
+++ b/geetools/ee_initialize.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 
 import json
 import os
-import tempfile
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import ee
@@ -93,14 +92,11 @@ def from_service_account(private_key: str):
         # gather global variable to be modified
         global _project_id
 
-        # connect to GEE using a temp file to avoid writing the key to disk
-        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
-            file = Path(temp_dir) / "private_key.json"
-            file.write_text(private_key)
-            ee_user = json.loads(private_key)["client_email"]
-            _project_id = json.loads(private_key)["project_id"]
-            credentials = ee.ServiceAccountCredentials(ee_user, str(file))
-            ee.Initialize(credentials=credentials, http_transport=httplib2.Http())
+        # connect to GEE using a ServiceAccountCredential object
+        ee_user = json.loads(private_key)["client_email"]
+        credentials = ee.ServiceAccountCredentials(ee_user, key_data=private_key)
+        _project_id = credentials.project_id
+        ee.Initialize(credentials=credentials, project=_project_id, http_transport=httplib2.Http())
 
     @staticmethod
     def project_id() -> str: