diff --git a/src/item_location.cpp b/src/item_location.cpp
index ad86d6e5c4d3c..c15ffa2fb2d22 100644
--- a/src/item_location.cpp
+++ b/src/item_location.cpp
@@ -841,6 +841,11 @@ void item_location::deserialize( const JsonObject &obj )
         item_location parent;
         obj.read( "parent", parent );
         if( !parent.ptr->valid() ) {
+            if( parent == nowhere ) {
+                debugmsg( "parent location doesn't exist.  Item_location has lost its target over a save/load cycle." );
+                ptr.reset( new impl::nowhere );
+                return;
+            }
             debugmsg( "parent location does not point to valid item" );
             ptr.reset( new impl::item_on_map( map_cursor( parent.pos_bub() ), idx ) ); // drop on ground
             return;