diff --git a/core/src/io/anuke/mindustry/io/JsonIO.java b/core/src/io/anuke/mindustry/io/JsonIO.java
index 6cea5fb1c1..e5cd5509c6 100644
--- a/core/src/io/anuke/mindustry/io/JsonIO.java
+++ b/core/src/io/anuke/mindustry/io/JsonIO.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package io.anuke.mindustry.io;
 import io.anuke.arc.collection.*;
 import io.anuke.arc.util.serialization.*;
 import io.anuke.mindustry.*;
+import io.anuke.mindustry.content.*;
 import io.anuke.mindustry.game.*;
 import io.anuke.mindustry.game.Teams.*;
 import io.anuke.mindustry.type.*;
@@ -35,7 +36,9 @@ public class JsonIO{
 
             @Override
             public Item read(Json json, JsonValue jsonData, Class type){
-                return Vars.content.getByName(ContentType.item, jsonData.asString());
+                if(jsonData.asString() == null) return Items.copper;
+                Item i =  Vars.content.getByName(ContentType.item, jsonData.asString());
+                return i == null ? Items.copper : i;
             }
         });
 
diff --git a/core/src/io/anuke/mindustry/maps/Map.java b/core/src/io/anuke/mindustry/maps/Map.java
index 89165b14c8..0f4302f1f0 100644
--- a/core/src/io/anuke/mindustry/maps/Map.java
+++ b/core/src/io/anuke/mindustry/maps/Map.java
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 package io.anuke.mindustry.maps;
 
-import io.anuke.arc.Core;
+import io.anuke.arc.*;
 import io.anuke.arc.collection.*;
-import io.anuke.arc.files.FileHandle;
-import io.anuke.arc.graphics.Texture;
-import io.anuke.mindustry.Vars;
+import io.anuke.arc.files.*;
+import io.anuke.arc.graphics.*;
+import io.anuke.mindustry.*;
 import io.anuke.mindustry.game.*;
-import io.anuke.mindustry.io.JsonIO;
+import io.anuke.mindustry.io.*;
 import io.anuke.mindustry.maps.filters.*;
 
 import static io.anuke.mindustry.Vars.world;
@@ -64,9 +64,15 @@ public class Map implements Comparable<Map>{
 
     /** This creates a new instance of Rules.*/
     public Rules rules(){
-        Rules result = JsonIO.read(Rules.class, tags.get("rules", "{}"));
-        if(result.spawns.isEmpty()) result.spawns = Vars.defaultWaves.get();
-        return result;
+        try{
+            Rules result = JsonIO.read(Rules.class, tags.get("rules", "{}"));
+            if(result.spawns.isEmpty()) result.spawns = Vars.defaultWaves.get();
+            return result;
+        }catch(Exception e){
+            //error reading rules. ignore?
+            e.printStackTrace();
+            return new Rules();
+        }
     }
 
     /** Returns the generation filters that this map uses on load.*/