diff --git a/src/backends/backend.js b/src/backends/backend.js
index 3db54493..70824268 100644
--- a/src/backends/backend.js
+++ b/src/backends/backend.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { attempt, isError } from 'lodash';
 import TestRepoBackend from "./test-repo/implementation";
 import GitHubBackend from "./github/implementation";
 import NetlifyAuthBackend from "./netlify-auth/implementation";
@@ -91,7 +92,7 @@ class Backend {
           collection.get("name"),
           selectEntrySlug(collection, loadedEntry.file.path),
           loadedEntry.file.path,
-          { raw: loadedEntry.data, label: loadedEntry.file.label }
+          { raw: loadedEntry.data || '', label: loadedEntry.file.label }
         ))
       ))
       .then(entries => (
@@ -121,8 +122,9 @@ class Backend {
   entryWithFormat(collectionOrEntity) {
     return (entry) => {
       const format = resolveFormat(collectionOrEntity, entry);
-      if (entry && entry.raw) {
-        return Object.assign(entry, { data: format && format.fromFile(entry.raw) });
+      if (entry && entry.raw !== undefined) {
+        const data = (format && attempt(format.fromFile.bind(null, entry.raw))) || {};
+        return Object.assign(entry, { data: isError(data) ? {} : data });
       }
       return format.fromFile(entry);
     };
diff --git a/src/backends/test-repo/implementation.js b/src/backends/test-repo/implementation.js
index 0c3ab1a5..dfea59a2 100644
--- a/src/backends/test-repo/implementation.js
+++ b/src/backends/test-repo/implementation.js
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 import AuthenticationPage from './AuthenticationPage';
 import { fileExtension } from '../../lib/pathHelper'
 
+window.repoFiles = window.repoFiles || {};
+
 function getFile(path) {
   const segments = path.split('/');
   let obj = window.repoFiles;
   while (obj && segments.length) {
     obj = obj[segments.shift()];
   }
-  return obj;
+  return obj || {};
 }
 
 function nameFromEmail(email) {
@@ -22,9 +24,6 @@ function nameFromEmail(email) {
 export default class TestRepo {
   constructor(config) {
     this.config = config;
-    if (window.repoFiles == null) {
-      throw 'The TestRepo backend needs a "window.repoFiles" object.';
-    }
   }
 
   setUser() {}
@@ -84,6 +83,8 @@ export default class TestRepo {
     const newEntry = options.newEntry || false;
     const folder = entry.path.substring(0, entry.path.lastIndexOf('/'));
     const fileName = entry.path.substring(entry.path.lastIndexOf('/') + 1);
+    window.repoFiles[folder] = window.repoFiles[folder] || {};
+    window.repoFiles[folder][fileName] = window.repoFiles[folder][fileName] || {};
     if (newEntry) {
       window.repoFiles[folder][fileName] = { content: entry.raw };
     } else {