diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/nodes.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/nodes.js
index a32d04de8..2ca8d7727 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/nodes.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/nodes.js
@@ -553,6 +553,9 @@ RED.nodes = (function() {
         node.id = n.id;
         node.type = n.type;
         node.z = n.z;
+        if (node.z === 0 || node.z === "") {
+            delete node.z;
+        }
         if (n.d === true) {
             node.d = true;
         }
@@ -1351,6 +1354,9 @@ RED.nodes = (function() {
                         users:[],
                         _config:{}
                     };
+                    if (!n.z) {
+                        delete configNode.z;
+                    }
                     if (n.hasOwnProperty('d')) {
                         configNode.d = n.d;
                     }