diff --git a/source/funkin/data/song/SongRegistry.hx b/source/funkin/data/song/SongRegistry.hx
index e21c74a1f..5f2961c19 100644
--- a/source/funkin/data/song/SongRegistry.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/data/song/SongRegistry.hx
@@ -203,30 +203,39 @@ class SongRegistry extends BaseRegistry<Song, SongMetadata>
     return ScriptedSong.listScriptClasses();
   }
 
-  function loadEntryMetadataFile(id:String, variation:String = ''):BaseRegistry.JsonFile
+  function loadEntryMetadataFile(id:String, variation:String = ''):Null<BaseRegistry.JsonFile>
   {
     var entryFilePath:String = Paths.json('$dataFilePath/$id/$id${variation == '' ? '' : '-$variation'}-metadata');
-    var rawJson:String = openfl.Assets.getText(entryFilePath).trim();
+    if (!openfl.Assets.exists(entryFilePath)) return null;
+    var rawJson:Null<String> = openfl.Assets.getText(entryFilePath);
+    if (rawJson == null) return null;
+    rawJson = rawJson.trim();
     return {fileName: entryFilePath, contents: rawJson};
   }
 
-  function loadMusicDataFile(id:String, variation:String = ''):BaseRegistry.JsonFile
+  function loadMusicDataFile(id:String, variation:String = ''):Null<BaseRegistry.JsonFile>
   {
     var entryFilePath:String = Paths.file('music/$id/$id${variation == '' ? '' : '-$variation'}-metadata.json');
-    var rawJson:String = openfl.Assets.getText(entryFilePath).trim();
+    if (!openfl.Assets.exists(entryFilePath)) return null;
+    var rawJson:String = openfl.Assets.getText(entryFilePath);
+    if (rawJson == null) return null;
+    rawJson = rawJson.trim();
     return {fileName: entryFilePath, contents: rawJson};
   }
 
-  function loadEntryChartFile(id:String, variation:String = ''):BaseRegistry.JsonFile
+  function loadEntryChartFile(id:String, variation:String = ''):Null<BaseRegistry.JsonFile>
   {
     var entryFilePath:String = Paths.json('$dataFilePath/$id/$id${variation == '' ? '' : '-$variation'}-chart');
-    var rawJson:String = openfl.Assets.getText(entryFilePath).trim();
+    if (!openfl.Assets.exists(entryFilePath)) return null;
+    var rawJson:String = openfl.Assets.getText(entryFilePath);
+    if (rawJson == null) return null;
+    rawJson = rawJson.trim();
     return {fileName: entryFilePath, contents: rawJson};
   }
 
   public function fetchEntryMetadataVersion(id:String, variation:String = ''):Null<thx.semver.Version>
   {
-    var entryStr:String = loadEntryMetadataFile(id, variation).contents;
+    var entryStr:Null<String> = loadEntryMetadataFile(id, variation)?.contents;
     var entryVersion:thx.semver.Version = VersionUtil.getVersionFromJSON(entryStr);
     return entryVersion;
   }
diff --git a/source/funkin/util/VersionUtil.hx b/source/funkin/util/VersionUtil.hx
index 368bb12de..1dc00473a 100644
--- a/source/funkin/util/VersionUtil.hx
+++ b/source/funkin/util/VersionUtil.hx
@@ -51,8 +51,9 @@ class VersionUtil
    * @param input The JSON string to parse.
    * @return The semantic version, or null if it could not be parsed.
    */
-  public static function getVersionFromJSON(input:String):Null<thx.semver.Version>
+  public static function getVersionFromJSON(input:Null<String>):Null<thx.semver.Version>
   {
+    if (input == null) return null;
     var parsed = SerializerUtil.fromJSON(input);
     if (parsed == null) return null;
     if (parsed.version == null) return null;