diff --git a/src/lib/database.ts b/src/lib/database.ts
index 6809b55..6b84f4c 100644
--- a/src/lib/database.ts
+++ b/src/lib/database.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export function getStreams(): StreamSummary[] {
         stream_date: Date.parse(stream.stream_date as string),
         filename: stream.filename as string,
         title: stream.title as string | null,
-        tags: JSON.parse(stream.tags as string) as string[],
+        tags: (JSON.parse(stream.tags as string) as string[]) ?? [],
         length_seconds: stream.length_seconds as number
     }));
 }
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export function getStreamInfo(streamId: string): Stream | null {
         format: streamData.format as string,
         title: streamData.title as string | null,
         description: streamData.description as string | null,
-        tags: JSON.parse(streamData.tags as string) as string[],
+        tags: (JSON.parse(streamData.tags as string) as string[]) ?? [],
         length_seconds: streamData.length_seconds as number,
         tracks: JSON.parse(streamData.tracks as string)
     };
diff --git a/src/lib/stores.svelte.ts b/src/lib/stores.svelte.ts
index 7e1254b..37eb65d 100644
--- a/src/lib/stores.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/lib/stores.svelte.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
-import { browser } from '$app/environment';
 import { SvelteSet } from 'svelte/reactivity';
+import { readStored, writeStored } from './utils.ts';
 
-export const favoritedStreams = new SvelteSet<string>(
-    JSON.parse((browser && localStorage.getItem('favoritedStreams')) || '[]')
-);
+export const favoritedStreams = new SvelteSet<string>(readStored('favoritedStreams', []));
 $effect.root(() => {
     $effect(() => {
-        localStorage.setItem('favoritedStreams', JSON.stringify(Array.from(favoritedStreams)));
+        writeStored('favoritedStreams', Array.from(favoritedStreams));
     });
 });
 
diff --git a/src/lib/streamCache.svelte.ts b/src/lib/streamCache.svelte.ts
index b2963cc..63678b2 100644
--- a/src/lib/streamCache.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/lib/streamCache.svelte.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { browser } from '$app/environment';
 import { SvelteSet, SvelteMap } from 'svelte/reactivity';
+import { readStored, writeStored } from './utils.ts';
 import type { StreamSummary, PartialDownload } from './types.ts';
 
 const STORAGE_KEY = 'cachedStreams';
@@ -16,23 +17,21 @@ const CHUNK_SIZE = 8 * 1024 * 1024;
 // as the intent is to catch socket breakage during cellular network changes for example
 const CHUNK_TIMEOUT = 60_000;
 
-export const cached = new SvelteSet<string>(
-    browser ? JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(STORAGE_KEY) || '[]') : []
-);
+export const cached = new SvelteSet<string>(readStored<string[]>(STORAGE_KEY, []));
 export const downloading = new SvelteMap<string, number>();
 
 // bytes already written to OPFS for each incomplete download
 export const partials = new SvelteMap<string, PartialDownload>(
-    browser ? Object.entries(JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(PARTIALS_KEY) || '{}')) : []
+    Object.entries(readStored<Record<string, PartialDownload>>(PARTIALS_KEY, {}))
 );
 
 if (browser) {
     $effect.root(() => {
         $effect(() => {
-            localStorage.setItem(STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify([...cached]));
+            writeStored(STORAGE_KEY, [...cached]);
         });
         $effect(() => {
-            localStorage.setItem(PARTIALS_KEY, JSON.stringify(Object.fromEntries(partials)));
+            writeStored(PARTIALS_KEY, Object.fromEntries(partials));
         });
     });
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/utils.ts b/src/lib/utils.ts
index 7b6cdac..24238e3 100644
--- a/src/lib/utils.ts
+++ b/src/lib/utils.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,26 @@
+import { browser } from '$app/environment';
 import Sqids from 'sqids';
 
 const sqids = new Sqids({ minLength: 6, alphabet: 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz0123456789' });
 
+// browser blocks site data => localStorage throws
+// so we're wrapping our calls to ensure things running at module init
+// don't bring down the site render entirely
+export function readStored<T>(key: string, fallback: T): T {
+    if (!browser) return fallback;
+    try {
+        return (JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(key) ?? '') as T) ?? fallback;
+    } catch {
+        return fallback;
+    }
+}
+
+export function writeStored(key: string, value: unknown) {
+    try {
+        localStorage.setItem(key, JSON.stringify(value));
+    } catch {}
+}
+
 export function hashcode(str: string): number {
     let h = 9;
     for (let i = 0; i < str.length; ) h = Math.imul(h ^ str.charCodeAt(i++), 9 ** 9);
diff --git a/src/routes/streams/[stream_id]/Player.svelte b/src/routes/streams/[stream_id]/Player.svelte
index a9cf908..d1df251 100644
--- a/src/routes/streams/[stream_id]/Player.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/streams/[stream_id]/Player.svelte
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     import { onMount, untrack } from 'svelte';
     import { fade } from 'svelte/transition';
     import { getStreamContext } from '$lib/streamContext.svelte.ts';
+    import { readStored, writeStored } from '$lib/utils.ts';
     import type { Track } from '$lib/types';
 
     const ctx = getStreamContext();
@@ -87,8 +88,7 @@
         isSafari = isIOS || isDesktopSafari;
 
         // default volume
-        const volumeData = localStorage.getItem('volume');
-        volume = volumeData ? parseFloat(volumeData) : 0.67;
+        volume = readStored('volume', 0.67);
         setVolume(volume);
 
         // set actions for previous/next track media buttons
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@
         if (!volumeBar) return;
         volume = seek(event, volumeBar.getBoundingClientRect());
         setVolume(volume);
-        localStorage.setItem('volume', volume.toString());
+        writeStored('volume', volume);
         muted = false;
     }