1 files changed, 17 insertions, 6 deletions

diff --git a/desktop/modules/notes/Notes.js b/desktop/modules/notes/Notes.js
index 76c8f95..6bc8c88 100644
--- a/desktop/modules/notes/Notes.js
+++ b/desktop/modules/notes/Notes.js
@@ -22,17 +22,28 @@ function notesOf(db) {
     return (db && Array.isArray(db.notes)) ? db.notes : [];
 }
 
-// db.json, whole. Anything that is not an object carrying a notes array reads
-// as an empty store, so a truncated or hand-edited file shows "no notes"
-// rather than failing to load the page.
-function parse(text) {
+// The db object, or null when the text cannot be read as one. An empty or
+// missing file is an empty store, not an error. Anything else that does not
+// parse, or parses to something without a notes array, is null: a writer must
+// refuse on null rather than replace a file it did not understand, which is
+// what a conflicted db.json (merge markers from an autostash pop) is.
+function valid(text) {
+    const t = String(text === undefined || text === null ? "" : text);
+    if (t.trim() === "") return { notes: [] };
     let v = null;
-    try { v = JSON.parse(text); } catch (e) { v = null; }
+    try { v = JSON.parse(t); } catch (e) { v = null; }
     if (!v || typeof v !== "object" || Array.isArray(v) || !Array.isArray(v.notes))
-        return { notes: [] };
+        return null;
     return v;
 }
 
+// db.json for display: the object, or an empty store when nothing readable is
+// there, so a truncated or hand-edited file shows "no notes" rather than
+// failing to load the page.
+function parse(text) {
+    return valid(text) || { notes: [] };
+}
+
 // Pretty, 2-space, trailing newline. notes.sh reads db.json through jq, which
 // does not care about the layout.
 function stringify(db) {