diff --git a/include_dir/src/file.rs b/include_dir/src/file.rs
index 3ccfc930b..8189bb981 100644
--- a/include_dir/src/file.rs
+++ b/include_dir/src/file.rs
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ impl<'a> File<'a> {
     }
 
     /// The file's raw contents.
-    pub fn contents(&self) -> &[u8] {
+    pub fn contents(&self) -> &'a [u8] {
         self.contents
     }
 
     /// The file's contents interpreted as a string.
-    pub fn contents_utf8(&self) -> Option<&str> {
+    pub fn contents_utf8(&self) -> Option<&'a str> {
         std::str::from_utf8(self.contents()).ok()
     }
 }
diff --git a/include_dir/src/lib.rs b/include_dir/src/lib.rs
index b9380b931..b13a9661f 100644
--- a/include_dir/src/lib.rs
+++ b/include_dir/src/lib.rs
@@ -106,6 +106,6 @@ pub use crate::metadata::Metadata;
 pub use crate::{dir::Dir, dir_entry::DirEntry, file::File};
 pub use include_dir_macros::include_dir;
 
-#[doc = include_str!("../README.md")]
+#[doc = include_str!("../../README.md")]
 #[allow(dead_code)]
 fn check_readme_examples() {}