diff --git a/mods/painting/init.lua b/mods/painting/init.lua
index 61c103a..4b4119c 100644
--- a/mods/painting/init.lua
+++ b/mods/painting/init.lua
@@ -186,13 +186,13 @@ minetest.register_entity("painting:picent", {
 	on_activate = function(self, staticdata)
 		local pos = self.object:getpos()
 		local data = legacy.load_itemmeta(minetest.get_meta(pos):get_string("painting:picturedata"))
-		data = minetest.deserialize
+		data = minetest.deserialize(
+			minetest.decompress(data)
+		)
 		if not data
 		or not data.grid then
 			return
 		end
-		data = minetest.decompress(data)
-		
 		self.object:set_properties{textures = { to_imagestring(data.grid, data.res) }}
 		if data.version ~= current_version then
 			minetest.log("legacy", "[painting] updating placed picture data")
@@ -572,7 +572,6 @@ function legacy.load_itemmeta(data)
 	local vend = data:find"(version)"
 	if not vend then -- the oldest version
 		local t = minetest.deserialize(data)
-		if not t then return end
 		if t.version then
 			minetest.log("error", "[painting] this musn't happen!")
 		end