diff --git a/tests/readwrite/test_xgi_data.py b/tests/readwrite/test_xgi_data.py
index 976c50e3..84b6e721 100644
--- a/tests/readwrite/test_xgi_data.py
+++ b/tests/readwrite/test_xgi_data.py
@@ -60,6 +60,12 @@ def test_load_xgi_data(capfd):
     assert collection["as-you-like-it"].num_nodes == 30
     assert collection["as-you-like-it"].num_edges == 80
 
+    # test HIF
+    H = load_xgi_data("recipe-rec")
+    assert H.num_nodes == 9271
+    assert H.num_edges == 77733
+
+
 
 @pytest.mark.skipif(
     sys.version_info != (3, 12) and not platform.system() == "Linux",
diff --git a/xgi/convert/hif_dict.py b/xgi/convert/hif_dict.py
index 0d288fb3..f137f057 100644
--- a/xgi/convert/hif_dict.py
+++ b/xgi/convert/hif_dict.py
@@ -108,13 +108,13 @@ def _convert_id(i, idtype):
         network_type = "undirected"
 
     if network_type in {"asc", "undirected"}:
-        G = Hypergraph()
+        H = Hypergraph()
     elif network_type == "directed":
-        G = DiHypergraph()
+        H = DiHypergraph()
 
     # Import network metadata
     if "metadata" in data:
-        G._net_attr.update(data["metadata"])
+        H._net_attr.update(data["metadata"])
 
     for record in data["incidences"]:
         n = _convert_id(record["node"], nodetype)
@@ -123,9 +123,9 @@ def _convert_id(i, idtype):
         if network_type == "directed":
             d = record["direction"]
             d = _convert_d(d)  # convert from head/tail to in/out
-            G.add_node_to_edge(e, n, d)
+            H.add_node_to_edge(e, n, d)
         else:
-            G.add_node_to_edge(e, n)
+            H.add_node_to_edge(e, n)
 
     # import node attributes if they exist
     if "nodes" in data:
@@ -136,10 +136,10 @@ def _convert_id(i, idtype):
             else:
                 attr = {}
 
-            if n not in G._node:
-                G.add_node(n, **attr)
+            if n not in H._node:
+                H.add_node(n, **attr)
             else:
-                G.set_node_attributes({n: attr})
+                H.set_node_attributes({n: attr})
 
     # import edge attributes if they exist
     if "edges" in data:
@@ -149,11 +149,11 @@ def _convert_id(i, idtype):
                 attr = record["attrs"]
             else:
                 attr = {}
-            if e not in G._edge:
-                G.add_edge(_empty_edge(network_type), e, **attr)
+            if e not in H._edge:
+                H.add_edge(_empty_edge(network_type), e, **attr)
             else:
-                G.set_edge_attributes({e: attr})
+                H.set_edge_attributes({e: attr})
 
     if network_type == "asc":
-        G = SimplicialComplex(G)
-    return G
+        H = SimplicialComplex(H)
+    return H
diff --git a/xgi/readwrite/xgi_data.py b/xgi/readwrite/xgi_data.py
index e2922525..a35baa33 100644
--- a/xgi/readwrite/xgi_data.py
+++ b/xgi/readwrite/xgi_data.py
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ def _request_from_xgi_data(
         jsondata = request_json_from_url(url)
 
     if "incidences" in jsondata:
-        H = from_hif_dict(H, nodetype=nodetype, edgetype=edgetype)
+        H = from_hif_dict(jsondata, nodetype=nodetype, edgetype=edgetype)
         if max_order:
             H = cut_to_order(H, order=max_order)
         return H