diff --git a/red/runtime/storage/localfilesystem.js b/red/runtime/storage/localfilesystem.js
index f4631c5e8..e5a98689a 100644
--- a/red/runtime/storage/localfilesystem.js
+++ b/red/runtime/storage/localfilesystem.js
@@ -122,6 +122,12 @@ function writeFile(path,content) {
     });
 }
 
+function parseJSON(data) {
+    if (data.charCodeAt(0) === 0xFEFF) {
+        data = data.slice(1)
+    }
+    return JSON.parse(data);
+}
 
 function readFile(path,backupPath,emptyResponse,type) {
     return when.promise(function(resolve) {
@@ -154,7 +160,7 @@ function readFile(path,backupPath,emptyResponse,type) {
                     }
                 }
                 try {
-                    return resolve(JSON.parse(data));
+                    return resolve(parseJSON(data));
                 } catch(parseErr) {
                     log.warn(log._("storage.localfilesystem.invalid",{type:type}));
                     return resolve(emptyResponse);
@@ -307,7 +313,7 @@ var localfilesystem = {
             fs.readFile(globalSettingsFile,'utf8',function(err,data) {
                 if (!err) {
                     try {
-                        return resolve(JSON.parse(data));
+                        return resolve(parseJSON(data));
                     } catch(err2) {
                         log.trace("Corrupted config detected - resetting");
                     }
@@ -327,7 +333,7 @@ var localfilesystem = {
             fs.readFile(sessionsFile,'utf8',function(err,data){
                 if (!err) {
                     try {
-                        return resolve(JSON.parse(data));
+                        return resolve(parseJSON(data));
                     } catch(err2) {
                         log.trace("Corrupted sessions file - resetting");
                     }