diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index bd31dce83..b488492b3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Node Fixes
  - Add HEAD to list of methods with no body in http req node #1598
  - Do not include payload in GET requests Fixes #1598
  - Update sort/batch docs Fixes #1601
-
+ - Don't assume node has defaults when exporting icon property
 
 
 #### 0.18: Milestone Release
diff --git a/editor/js/nodes.js b/editor/js/nodes.js
index cdd1dfae7..b3c39fff1 100644
--- a/editor/js/nodes.js
+++ b/editor/js/nodes.js
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ RED.nodes = (function() {
             if (n.outputs > 0 && n.outputLabels && !/^\s*$/.test(n.outputLabels.join(""))) {
                 node.outputLabels = n.outputLabels.slice();
             }
-            if (!n._def.defaults.hasOwnProperty("icon") && n.icon) {
+            if ((!n._def.defaults || !n._def.defaults.hasOwnProperty("icon")) && n.icon) {
                 var defIcon = RED.utils.getDefaultNodeIcon(n._def, n);
                 if (n.icon !== defIcon.module+"/"+defIcon.file) {
                     node.icon = n.icon;