diff --git a/www/common/json-ot.js b/www/common/json-ot.js
index 238ccc18a..37172b95c 100644
--- a/www/common/json-ot.js
+++ b/www/common/json-ot.js
@@ -5,19 +5,23 @@ define([
     var JsonOT = {};
 
     var validate = JsonOT.validate = function (text, toTransform, transformBy) {
-        var resultOp = ChainPad.Operation.transform0(text, toTransform, transformBy);
-        var text2 = ChainPad.Operation.apply(transformBy, text);
-        var text3 = ChainPad.Operation.apply(resultOp, text2);
         try {
-            JSON.parse(text3);
-            return resultOp;
-        } catch (e) {
-            console.error(e);
-            console.log({
-                resultOp: resultOp,
-                text2: text2,
-                text3: text3
-            });
+            var resultOp = ChainPad.Operation.transform0(text, toTransform, transformBy);
+            var text2 = ChainPad.Operation.apply(transformBy, text);
+            var text3 = ChainPad.Operation.apply(resultOp, text2);
+            try {
+                JSON.parse(text3);
+                return resultOp;
+            } catch (e) {
+                console.error(e);
+                console.log({
+                    resultOp: resultOp,
+                    text2: text2,
+                    text3: text3
+                });
+            }
+        } catch (x) {
+            console.error(x);
         }
 
         // returning **null** breaks out of the loop