diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/extra.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/extra.rs
index a08f08013..5a23b8dd7 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/extra.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/extra.rs
@@ -701,6 +701,16 @@ fn stash_get(wb: &Workbook, key: &str) -> Json {
         .unwrap_or(json!({}))
 }
 
+/// Like `stash_get`, for the name-keyed lists (views, scripts): a stored value that is not a JSON object is treated as empty.
+fn stash_map(wb: &Workbook, key: &str) -> Json {
+    let v = stash_get(wb, key);
+    if v.is_object() {
+        v
+    } else {
+        json!({})
+    }
+}
+
 fn stash_set(wb: &mut Workbook, key: &str, v: &Json) {
     let text = v.to_string();
     let formula = format!("\"{}\"", text.replace('"', "\"\""));
@@ -723,7 +733,7 @@ pub(crate) fn keep_watch_list(from: &Workbook, to: &mut std::sync::Arc<Workbook>
 
 fn custom_views(s: &mut Session, p: &Json) -> Result<Json> {
     let d = s.doc()?;
-    let mut views = stash_get(&d.wb, VIEWS_NAME);
+    let mut views = stash_map(&d.wb, VIEWS_NAME);
     if let Some(name) = str_param(p, "save") {
         let sh = d.wb.active().ok_or(EngineError::NoDocument)?;
         views[name] = json!({"sheet": d.wb.active_sheet, "selection": d.selection.a1(), "zoom": sh.zoom, "freeze": sh.freeze});
@@ -938,7 +948,7 @@ fn new_script(s: &mut Session, p: &Json) -> Result<Json> {
         return Err(bad("automate.newScript", "`commands` must be an array"));
     }
     edit(s, |cx| {
-        let mut all = stash_get(&cx.wb, SCRIPTS_NAME);
+        let mut all = stash_map(&cx.wb, SCRIPTS_NAME);
         all[name.as_str()] = cmds.clone();
         stash_set(&mut cx.wb, SCRIPTS_NAME, &all);
         Ok(json!({"name": name}))
@@ -977,7 +987,7 @@ fn run_script(s: &mut Session, p: &Json) -> Result<Json> {
 fn delete_script(s: &mut Session, p: &Json) -> Result<Json> {
     let name = str_param(p, "name").ok_or_else(|| bad("automate.deleteScript", "missing `name`"))?.to_string();
     edit(s, |cx| {
-        let mut all = stash_get(&cx.wb, SCRIPTS_NAME);
+        let mut all = stash_map(&cx.wb, SCRIPTS_NAME);
         if let Some(o) = all.as_object_mut() {
             o.remove(&name);
         }
diff --git a/crates/engine/tests/stored_list_shape.rs b/crates/engine/tests/stored_list_shape.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0d38cd5f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/engine/tests/stored_list_shape.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+use gridcraft_engine::Session;
+use serde_json::json;
+
+const NOT_OBJECTS: [&str; 4] = ["\"[1,2]\"", "\"7\"", "\"true\"", "\"\"\"hi\"\"\""];
+
+fn with_name(name: &str, refers_to: &str) -> Session {
+    let mut s = Session::new();
+    s.new_workbook();
+    s.execute("formulas.defineName", json!({"name": name, "refersTo": refers_to})).unwrap();
+    s
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn saving_a_view_works_when_stored_list_is_not_an_object() {
+    for text in NOT_OBJECTS {
+        let mut s = with_name("_sc_custom_views", text);
+        let out = s.execute("view.customViews", json!({"save": "v"})).unwrap();
+        assert!(out.get("v").is_some(), "{text}: {out}");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn saving_a_view_keeps_the_keys_of_a_stored_object() {
+    let mut s = with_name("_sc_custom_views", "\"{\"\"a\"\":1}\"");
+    let out = s.execute("view.customViews", json!({"save": "v"})).unwrap();
+    assert!(out.get("a").is_some() && out.get("v").is_some(), "{out}");
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn creating_a_script_works_when_stored_list_is_not_an_object() {
+    for text in NOT_OBJECTS {
+        let mut s = with_name("_sc_scripts", text);
+        s.execute("automate.newScript", json!({"name": "s1", "commands": []})).unwrap();
+        let list = s.execute("automate.allScripts", json!({})).unwrap();
+        assert!(list.to_string().contains("s1"), "{text}: {list}");
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn stopping_a_recording_works_when_stored_list_is_not_an_object() {
+    for text in NOT_OBJECTS {
+        let mut s = with_name("_sc_scripts", text);
+        s.execute("automate.recordActions", json!({})).unwrap();
+        s.execute("automate.recordActions", json!({"stop": true, "name": "s1"})).unwrap();
+        let list = s.execute("automate.allScripts", json!({})).unwrap();
+        assert!(list.to_string().contains("s1"), "{text}: {list}");
+    }
+}