diff --git a/code/__HELPERS/_lists.dm b/code/__HELPERS/_lists.dm
index 719735392d..0171057286 100644
--- a/code/__HELPERS/_lists.dm
+++ b/code/__HELPERS/_lists.dm
@@ -681,3 +681,11 @@
 			continue
 		if(istype(D, path))
 			return TRUE
+
+/proc/safe_json_encode(list/L, default = "")
+	. = default
+	return json_encode(L)
+
+/proc/safe_json_decode(string, default = list())
+	. = default
+	return json_decode(string)