diff --git a/src/img/img/imgObject.cc b/src/img/img/imgObject.cc
index ab76374f3..5901a80e2 100644
--- a/src/img/img/imgObject.cc
+++ b/src/img/img/imgObject.cc
@@ -1546,6 +1546,9 @@ Object::from_string (const char *str, const char *base_dir)
 
         ex.test ("]");
 
+      } else {
+        //  otherwise stop
+        break;
       }
 
       ex.test (";");
diff --git a/src/lay/lay/laySession.cc b/src/lay/lay/laySession.cc
index 9ef4b97db..43ae4b898 100644
--- a/src/lay/lay/laySession.cc
+++ b/src/lay/lay/laySession.cc
@@ -265,7 +265,11 @@ Session::restore (lay::MainWindow &mw)
     as.reserve (vd.annotation_shapes.annotation_shapes.size ());
     for (std::vector<SessionAnnotationDescriptor>::const_iterator ad = vd.annotation_shapes.annotation_shapes.begin (); ad != vd.annotation_shapes.annotation_shapes.end (); ++ad) {
       db::DUserObjectBase *obj = db::DUserObjectFactory::create (ad->class_name.c_str (), ad->value_string.c_str (), ! m_base_dir.empty () ? m_base_dir.c_str () : 0);
-      as.insert (db::DUserObject (obj));
+      if (obj) {
+        as.insert (db::DUserObject (obj));
+      } else {
+        tl::warn << tl::to_string (tr ("Unable to restore session user object with unknown class: ")) << ad->class_name;
+      }
     }
 
     view->update_content ();