diff --git a/src/index.tsx b/src/index.tsx
index f595e5433..d6295d9c7 100644
--- a/src/index.tsx
+++ b/src/index.tsx
@@ -106,10 +106,16 @@ export class App extends React.Component<{}, AppState> {
     document.addEventListener("keydown", this.onKeyDown, false);
     window.addEventListener("resize", this.onResize, false);
 
-    const appState = restoreFromLocalStorage(elements);
+    const { elements: newElements, appState } = restoreFromLocalStorage();
+
+    if (newElements) {
+      elements = newElements;
+    }
 
     if (appState) {
       this.setState(appState);
+    } else {
+      this.forceUpdate();
     }
   }
 
@@ -512,7 +518,10 @@ export class App extends React.Component<{}, AppState> {
             }
             onSaveScene={() => saveAsJSON(elements, this.state.name)}
             onLoadScene={() =>
-              loadFromJSON(elements).then(() => this.forceUpdate())
+              loadFromJSON().then(({ elements: newElements }) => {
+                elements = newElements;
+                this.forceUpdate();
+              })
             }
           />
         </div>
diff --git a/src/scene/data.ts b/src/scene/data.ts
index bfcaf4903..89993358d 100644
--- a/src/scene/data.ts
+++ b/src/scene/data.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ function saveFile(name: string, data: string) {
   link.remove();
 }
 
+interface DataState {
+  elements: ExcalidrawElement[];
+  appState: any;
+}
+
 export function saveAsJSON(elements: ExcalidrawElement[], name: string) {
   const serialized = JSON.stringify({
     version: 1,
@@ -35,7 +40,7 @@ export function saveAsJSON(elements: ExcalidrawElement[], name: string) {
   );
 }
 
-export function loadFromJSON(elements: ExcalidrawElement[]) {
+export function loadFromJSON() {
   const input = document.createElement("input");
   const reader = new FileReader();
   input.type = "file";
@@ -52,12 +57,17 @@ export function loadFromJSON(elements: ExcalidrawElement[]) {
 
   input.click();
 
-  return new Promise(resolve => {
+  return new Promise<DataState>(resolve => {
     reader.onloadend = () => {
       if (reader.readyState === FileReader.DONE) {
-        const data = JSON.parse(reader.result as string);
-        restore(elements, data.elements, null);
-        resolve();
+        let elements = [];
+        try {
+          const data = JSON.parse(reader.result as string);
+          elements = data.elements || [];
+        } catch (e) {
+          // Do nothing because elements array is already empty
+        }
+        resolve(restore(elements, null));
       }
     };
   });
@@ -130,43 +140,48 @@ export function exportAsPNG(
 }
 
 function restore(
-  elements: ExcalidrawElement[],
-  savedElements: string | ExcalidrawElement[] | null,
-  savedState: string | null
-) {
-  try {
-    if (savedElements) {
-      elements.splice(
-        0,
-        elements.length,
-        ...(typeof savedElements === "string"
-          ? JSON.parse(savedElements)
-          : savedElements)
-      );
-      elements.forEach((element: ExcalidrawElement) => {
-        element.id = element.id || nanoid();
-        element.fillStyle = element.fillStyle || "hachure";
-        element.strokeWidth = element.strokeWidth || 1;
-        element.roughness = element.roughness || 1;
-        element.opacity =
-          element.opacity === null || element.opacity === undefined
-            ? 100
-            : element.opacity;
-      });
-    }
-
-    return savedState ? JSON.parse(savedState) : null;
-  } catch (e) {
-    elements.splice(0, elements.length);
-    return null;
-  }
+  savedElements: ExcalidrawElement[],
+  savedState: any
+): DataState {
+  return {
+    elements: savedElements.map(element => ({
+      ...element,
+      id: element.id || nanoid(),
+      fillStyle: element.fillStyle || "hachure",
+      strokeWidth: element.strokeWidth || 1,
+      roughness: element.roughness || 1,
+      opacity:
+        element.opacity === null || element.opacity === undefined
+          ? 100
+          : element.opacity
+    })),
+    appState: savedState
+  };
 }
 
-export function restoreFromLocalStorage(elements: ExcalidrawElement[]) {
+export function restoreFromLocalStorage() {
   const savedElements = localStorage.getItem(LOCAL_STORAGE_KEY);
   const savedState = localStorage.getItem(LOCAL_STORAGE_KEY_STATE);
 
-  return restore(elements, savedElements, savedState);
+  let elements = [];
+  if (savedElements) {
+    try {
+      elements = JSON.parse(savedElements);
+    } catch (e) {
+      // Do nothing because elements array is already empty
+    }
+  }
+
+  let appState = null;
+  if (savedState) {
+    try {
+      appState = JSON.parse(savedState);
+    } catch (e) {
+      // Do nothing because appState is already null
+    }
+  }
+
+  return restore(elements, appState);
 }
 
 export function saveToLocalStorage(