diff --git a/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuide/RouteGuide.csproj b/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuide/RouteGuide.csproj
index bd374a887c1..712df6150aa 100644
--- a/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuide/RouteGuide.csproj
+++ b/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuide/RouteGuide.csproj
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
   </ItemGroup>
 
   <ItemGroup>
-    <None Include="route_guide_db.json" CopyToOutputDirectory="PreserveNewest" />
+    <EmbeddedResource Include="route_guide_db.json" />
   </ItemGroup>
 
 </Project>
diff --git a/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuide/RouteGuideUtil.cs b/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuide/RouteGuideUtil.cs
index 96bd8ca09b9..29cd6b9bf9a 100644
--- a/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuide/RouteGuideUtil.cs
+++ b/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuide/RouteGuideUtil.cs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
+using System.Reflection;
 using System.Text;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ namespace Routeguide
     /// </summary>
     public static class RouteGuideUtil
     {
-        public const string DefaultFeaturesFile = "route_guide_db.json";
+        public const string DefaultFeaturesResourceName = "RouteGuide.route_guide_db.json";
 
         private const double CoordFactor = 1e7;
 
@@ -90,12 +91,12 @@ namespace Routeguide
         }
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Parses features from a JSON file.
+        /// Parses features from an embedded resource.
         /// </summary>
-        public static List<Feature> ParseFeatures(string filename)
+        public static List<Feature> LoadFeatures()
         {
             var features = new List<Feature>();
-            var jsonFeatures = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<JsonFeature>>(File.ReadAllText(filename));
+            var jsonFeatures = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<JsonFeature>>(ReadFeaturesFromResource());
 
             foreach(var jsonFeature in jsonFeatures)
             {
@@ -108,6 +109,19 @@ namespace Routeguide
             return features;
         }
 
+        private static string ReadFeaturesFromResource()
+        {
+            var stream = typeof(RouteGuideUtil).GetTypeInfo().Assembly.GetManifestResourceStream(DefaultFeaturesResourceName);
+            if (stream == null)
+            {
+                throw new IOException(string.Format("Error loading the embedded resource \"{0}\"", DefaultFeaturesResourceName));
+            }
+            using (var streamReader = new StreamReader(stream))
+            {
+                return streamReader.ReadToEnd();
+            }
+        }
+
 #pragma warning disable 0649  // Suppresses "Field 'x' is never assigned to".
         private class JsonFeature
         {
diff --git a/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuideClient/Program.cs b/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuideClient/Program.cs
index 9ce0cbcad3a..accaf0a0ec9 100644
--- a/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuideClient/Program.cs
+++ b/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuideClient/Program.cs
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ namespace Routeguide
             client.ListFeatures(400000000, -750000000, 420000000, -730000000).Wait();
 
             // Record a few randomly selected points from the features file.
-            client.RecordRoute(RouteGuideUtil.ParseFeatures(RouteGuideUtil.DefaultFeaturesFile), 10).Wait();
+            client.RecordRoute(RouteGuideUtil.LoadFeatures(), 10).Wait();
 
             // Send and receive some notes.
             client.RouteChat().Wait();
diff --git a/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuideServer/Program.cs b/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuideServer/Program.cs
index 4548ddf8e73..a79f8a1a28f 100644
--- a/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuideServer/Program.cs
+++ b/examples/csharp/RouteGuide/RouteGuideServer/Program.cs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace Routeguide
         {
             const int Port = 50052;
 
-            var features = RouteGuideUtil.ParseFeatures(RouteGuideUtil.DefaultFeaturesFile);
+            var features = RouteGuideUtil.LoadFeatures();
 
             Server server = new Server
             {