diff --git a/platform/core-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/components/ComponentSerializationUtil.java b/platform/core-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/components/ComponentSerializationUtil.java
index 33eee1a79178..0093d0016881 100644
--- a/platform/core-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/components/ComponentSerializationUtil.java
+++ b/platform/core-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/components/ComponentSerializationUtil.java
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ public class ComponentSerializationUtil {
   public static <S> void loadComponentState(@NotNull PersistentStateComponent<S> configuration, @Nullable Element element) {
     if (element != null) {
       Class<S> stateClass = getStateClass(configuration.getClass());
-      configuration.loadState(XmlSerializer.deserialize(element, stateClass));
+      S state = XmlSerializer.deserialize(element, stateClass);
+      if (state != null) {
+        configuration.loadState(state);
+      }
     }
   }
 }