diff --git a/static/extension_settings.js b/static/extension_settings.js
index 5299f66d..4918cf72 100644
--- a/static/extension_settings.js
+++ b/static/extension_settings.js
@@ -143,17 +143,23 @@
     }
   }
 
-  function safeRead(key){
+  function safeReadState(key){
     try{
       const raw=window.localStorage.getItem(key);
-      if(!raw) return {};
+      if(!raw) return {value:{},malformed:false};
       const parsed=JSON.parse(raw);
-      return parsed&&typeof parsed==='object'&&!Array.isArray(parsed)?parsed:{};
+      return parsed&&typeof parsed==='object'&&!Array.isArray(parsed)
+        ?{value:parsed,malformed:false}
+        :{value:{},malformed:true};
     }catch(_e){
-      return {};
+      return {value:{},malformed:true};
     }
   }
 
+  function safeRead(key){
+    return safeReadState(key).value;
+  }
+
   function safeWrite(key,value){
     const keys=Object.keys(value||{});
     try{
@@ -211,10 +217,10 @@
   }
 
   function readSettingsState(schema,key){
-    const stored=safeRead(key);
-    const checked=validate(schema,stored);
+    const stored=safeReadState(key);
+    const checked=validate(schema,stored.value);
     const overrides=overridesFromValues(schema,checked.values);
-    if(JSON.stringify(stored)!==JSON.stringify(overrides)) safeWrite(key,overrides);
+    if(stored.malformed||JSON.stringify(stored.value)!==JSON.stringify(overrides)) safeWrite(key,overrides);
     return {values:checked.values,overrides};
   }
 
diff --git a/tests/test_extension_settings_runtime.py b/tests/test_extension_settings_runtime.py
index bae6086c..307da362 100644
--- a/tests/test_extension_settings_runtime.py
+++ b/tests/test_extension_settings_runtime.py
@@ -72,6 +72,14 @@ def test_extension_settings_runtime_normalizes_persists_resets_and_clears():
         assert.deepStrictEqual(settings.values, {{flag: false, mode: 'compact', count: 2}});
         assert.deepStrictEqual(settings.overrides, {{}});
         assert.strictEqual(store.has('hermes.ext.settings.demo.ext'), false);
+        store.set('hermes.ext.settings.demo.ext', 'not-json');
+        assert.deepStrictEqual(settings.values, {{flag: false, mode: 'compact', count: 2}});
+        assert.deepStrictEqual(settings.overrides, {{}});
+        assert.strictEqual(store.has('hermes.ext.settings.demo.ext'), false);
+        store.set('hermes.ext.settings.demo.ext', JSON.stringify(['bad']));
+        assert.deepStrictEqual(settings.values, {{flag: false, mode: 'compact', count: 2}});
+        assert.deepStrictEqual(settings.overrides, {{}});
+        assert.strictEqual(store.has('hermes.ext.settings.demo.ext'), false);
         assert.strictEqual(settings.set('mode', 'invalid').ok, false);
         assert.deepStrictEqual(settings.reset(), {{flag: false, mode: 'compact', count: 2}});
         assert.strictEqual(store.has('hermes.ext.settings.demo.ext'), false);