diff --git a/src/pocketmine/entity/object/ItemEntity.php b/src/pocketmine/entity/object/ItemEntity.php
index f41b738135..b50e2b3620 100644
--- a/src/pocketmine/entity/object/ItemEntity.php
+++ b/src/pocketmine/entity/object/ItemEntity.php
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ class ItemEntity extends Entity{
 		}
 
 		$this->item = Item::nbtDeserialize($itemTag);
+		if($this->item->isNull()){
+			throw new \UnexpectedValueException("Item for " . get_class($this) . " is invalid");
+		}
 
 
 		$this->server->getPluginManager()->callEvent(new ItemSpawnEvent($this));
diff --git a/src/pocketmine/item/Item.php b/src/pocketmine/item/Item.php
index 6769ddf77b..7e71829141 100644
--- a/src/pocketmine/item/Item.php
+++ b/src/pocketmine/item/Item.php
@@ -956,7 +956,12 @@ class Item implements ItemIds, \JsonSerializable{
 		if($idTag instanceof ShortTag){
 			$item = ItemFactory::get($idTag->getValue(), $meta, $count);
 		}elseif($idTag instanceof StringTag){ //PC item save format
-			$item = ItemFactory::fromString($idTag->getValue());
+			try{
+				$item = ItemFactory::fromString($idTag->getValue());
+			}catch(\InvalidArgumentException $e){
+				//TODO: improve error handling
+				return ItemFactory::get(Item::AIR, 0, 0);
+			}
 			$item->setDamage($meta);
 			$item->setCount($count);
 		}else{