diff --git a/crates/model/src/session.rs b/crates/model/src/session.rs
index 59567966..9c7e8827 100644
--- a/crates/model/src/session.rs
+++ b/crates/model/src/session.rs
@@ -570,6 +570,10 @@ impl Session {
         if !self.edit.zoom.samples_per_px.is_finite() || self.edit.zoom.samples_per_px <= 0.0 {
             self.edit.zoom.samples_per_px = 1024.0;
         }
+        if SampleRate::new(self.sample_rate.hz()).is_err() {
+            self.sample_rate = SampleRate::default();
+        }
+        self.tempo.sanitize();
     }
 }
 
@@ -641,6 +645,15 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(c.source_offset(), 580);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn a_bad_sample_rate_or_tempo_is_repaired_on_load() {
+        let mut v = serde_json::to_value(Session::default()).unwrap();
+        v["sample_rate"] = serde_json::json!(0);
+        v["tempo"]["tempos"] = serde_json::json!([{"tick": 0, "bpm": 4e9}]);
+        let s = Session::from_json(&v.to_string()).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!((s.sample_rate, s.tempo), (SampleRate::HZ_48000, TempoMap::default()));
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn rejects_garbage_and_future_versions() {
         assert!(Session::from_json("not json").is_err());
diff --git a/crates/time/src/tempo.rs b/crates/time/src/tempo.rs
index 5b87a3a7..72936d80 100644
--- a/crates/time/src/tempo.rs
+++ b/crates/time/src/tempo.rs
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ fn valid_bpm(bpm: f64) -> Result<f64, TimeError> {
     if bpm.is_finite() && (5.0..=1000.0).contains(&bpm) { Ok(bpm) } else { Err(TimeError::Tempo(bpm)) }
 }
 
+fn valid_meter(numerator: u32, denominator: u32) -> bool {
+    (1..=64).contains(&numerator) && [1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64].contains(&denominator)
+}
+
 impl TempoMap {
     pub fn new(bpm: f64, numerator: u32, denominator: u32) -> Result<Self, TimeError> {
         let mut m = TempoMap::default();
@@ -70,6 +74,25 @@ impl TempoMap {
         &self.meters
     }
 
+    /// Repair a map read from a file: only valid tempos and meters, in tick order, with one of each
+    /// at tick 0.
+    pub fn sanitize(&mut self) {
+        self.tempos.retain(|e| e.tick >= 0 && valid_bpm(e.bpm).is_ok());
+        self.tempos.sort_by_key(|e| e.tick);
+        self.tempos.dedup_by_key(|e| e.tick);
+        if self.tempos.first().is_none_or(|e| e.tick > 0) {
+            let bpm = self.tempos.first().map_or(120.0, |e| e.bpm);
+            self.tempos.insert(0, TempoEvent { tick: 0, bpm });
+        }
+        self.meters.retain(|m| m.tick >= 0 && valid_meter(m.numerator, m.denominator));
+        self.meters.sort_by_key(|m| m.tick);
+        self.meters.dedup_by_key(|m| m.tick);
+        if self.meters.first().is_none_or(|m| m.tick > 0) {
+            let (numerator, denominator) = self.meters.first().map_or((4, 4), |m| (m.numerator, m.denominator));
+            self.meters.insert(0, MeterEvent { tick: 0, numerator, denominator });
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Insert or replace the tempo at `tick`.
     pub fn set_tempo(&mut self, tick: i64, bpm: f64) -> Result<(), TimeError> {
         let bpm = valid_bpm(bpm)?;
@@ -97,7 +120,7 @@ impl TempoMap {
 
     /// Insert or replace the meter at `tick` (snapped to the bar line at or before it).
     pub fn set_meter(&mut self, tick: i64, numerator: u32, denominator: u32) -> Result<(), TimeError> {
-        if !(1..=64).contains(&numerator) || ![1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64].contains(&denominator) {
+        if !valid_meter(numerator, denominator) {
             return Err(TimeError::Meter(numerator, denominator));
         }
         let tick = if tick <= 0 { 0 } else { self.bar_start_tick(self.bar_beat_at_tick(tick).bar) };
@@ -317,6 +340,22 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(m.bar_beat_at_tick(TICKS_PER_QUARTER / 2), BarBeat { bar: 1, beat: 2, tick: 0 });
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn sanitize_keeps_what_the_setters_accept() {
+        let tempo = |tick, bpm| TempoEvent { tick, bpm };
+        let meter = |tick, numerator, denominator| MeterEvent { tick, numerator, denominator };
+        let mut m = TempoMap {
+            tempos: vec![tempo(960, 4e9), tempo(3840, 90.0), tempo(-5, 100.0), tempo(1920, 60.0), tempo(1920, 70.0)],
+            meters: vec![meter(0, 0, 4), meter(3840, 3, 4)],
+        };
+        m.sanitize();
+        assert_eq!(m.tempos(), [tempo(0, 60.0), tempo(1920, 60.0), tempo(3840, 90.0)]);
+        assert_eq!(m.meters(), [meter(0, 3, 4), meter(3840, 3, 4)]);
+        let mut empty = TempoMap { tempos: Vec::new(), meters: Vec::new() };
+        empty.sanitize();
+        assert_eq!(empty, TempoMap::default());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn rejects_bad_values() {
         let mut m = TempoMap::default();