1 files changed, 3 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/platform/projectModel-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/components/impl/stores/DefaultStateSerializer.java b/platform/projectModel-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/components/impl/stores/DefaultStateSerializer.java
index 608a350d770c..d4f87027191d 100644
--- a/platform/projectModel-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/components/impl/stores/DefaultStateSerializer.java
+++ b/platform/projectModel-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/components/impl/stores/DefaultStateSerializer.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ class DefaultStateSerializer {
   private DefaultStateSerializer() {
   }
 
+  @Nullable
   static Element serializeState(@NotNull Object state, final Storage storage) throws WriteExternalException {
     if (state instanceof Element) {
       return (Element)state;
@@ -56,12 +57,12 @@ class DefaultStateSerializer {
       }
       catch (Throwable e) {
         LOG.info("Unable to serialize component state!", e);
-        return new Element("empty");
+        return null;
       }
       return element;
     }
     else {
-      return  XmlSerializer.serialize(state, new SkipDefaultValuesSerializationFilters() {
+      return XmlSerializer.serialize(state, new SkipDefaultValuesSerializationFilters() {
         @Override
         public boolean accepts(final Accessor accessor, final Object bean) {
           if (!super.accepts(accessor, bean)) return false;