diff --git a/src/sim/SaveLoad.cpp b/src/sim/SaveLoad.cpp
index e6a974f46..0755aca90 100644
--- a/src/sim/SaveLoad.cpp
+++ b/src/sim/SaveLoad.cpp
@@ -18,10 +18,25 @@ class CProject *CSaveLoad::loadProjectFile(const char *fname) {
 		return 0;
 	}
 	cJSON *n_jProj = cJSON_Parse(jsonData);
-	cJSON *n_jProjCreated = cJSON_GetObjectItemCaseSensitive(n_jProj, "created");
-	cJSON *n_jProjModified = cJSON_GetObjectItemCaseSensitive(n_jProj, "lastModified");
-	p->setCreated(n_jProjCreated->valuestring);
-	p->setLastModified(n_jProjModified->valuestring);
+	if (0==n_jProj) {
+		printf("Warning: failed to parse JSON data %s\n", fname);
+	}
+	else {
+		cJSON *n_jProjCreated = cJSON_GetObjectItemCaseSensitive(n_jProj, "created");
+		cJSON *n_jProjModified = cJSON_GetObjectItemCaseSensitive(n_jProj, "lastModified");
+		if (n_jProjCreated) {
+			p->setCreated(n_jProjCreated->valuestring);
+		}
+		else {
+			printf("Warning: missing 'created' node in %s\n", fname);
+		}
+		if (n_jProjModified) {
+			p->setLastModified(n_jProjModified->valuestring);
+		}
+		else {
+			printf("Warning: missing 'lastModified' node in %s\n", fname);
+		}
+	}
 	return p;
 }
 void CSaveLoad::saveProjectToFile(class CProject *projToSave, const char *fname) {
diff --git a/src/sim/Simulator.cpp b/src/sim/Simulator.cpp
index 6bb1405b3..fafd05f9b 100644
--- a/src/sim/Simulator.cpp
+++ b/src/sim/Simulator.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ void CSimulator::drawWindow() {
 	const char *projectPathDisp = projectPath.c_str();
 	if (*projectPathDisp == 0)
 		projectPathDisp = "none";
-	sprintf(buffer, "OpenBeken Simulator - %s", projectPathDisp);
+	sprintf(buffer, "OpenBeken Simulator " __DATE__  " - %s", projectPathDisp);
 	if (SIM_IsFlashModified()) {
 		strcat(buffer, " (FLASH MODIFIED)");
 	}
@@ -288,14 +288,22 @@ bool CSimulator::loadSimulation(const char *s) {
 		printf("CSimulator::loadSimulation: there is no %s\n", memPath.c_str());
 		return true;
 	}
+	printf("CSimulator::loadSimulation: going to load %s\n", s);
 	CProject *newProject = saveLoad->loadProjectFile(s);
 	if (newProject == 0) {
 		printf("CSimulator::loadSimulation: failed reading %s\n", s);
 		return true;
 	}
+	printf("CSimulator::loadSimulation: loaded %s\n", s);
+	CSimulation *newSim = saveLoad->loadSimulationFromFile(simPath.c_str());
+	if (newSim == 0) {
+		printf("CSimulator::loadSimulation: failed reading %s\n", simPath.c_str());
+		return true;
+	}
+	printf("CSimulator::loadSimulation: loaded %s\n", simPath.c_str());
 	projectPath = s;
 	project = newProject;
-	sim = saveLoad->loadSimulationFromFile(simPath.c_str());
+	sim = newSim;
 	recents->registerAndSave(projectPath.c_str());
 	SIM_ClearOBK(memPath.c_str());
 	sim->recalcBounds();
diff --git a/src/sim/sim_sdl.cpp b/src/sim/sim_sdl.cpp
index 17909b0bf..9782b0498 100644
--- a/src/sim/sim_sdl.cpp
+++ b/src/sim/sim_sdl.cpp
@@ -169,8 +169,10 @@ char *FS_ReadTextFile(const char *fname) {
 	int len = ftell(f);
 	fseek(f, 0, SEEK_SET);
 	char *r = (char*)malloc(len + 1);
-	fread(r, 1, len, f);
-	r[len] = 0;
+	if (r) {
+		fread(r, 1, len, f);
+		r[len] = 0;
+	}
 	fclose(f);
 	return r;
 }