diff --git a/src/services/exportImport.test.ts b/src/services/exportImport.test.ts
index 64cc2a1..bc66966 100644
--- a/src/services/exportImport.test.ts
+++ b/src/services/exportImport.test.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ describe('exportImport', () => {
     mockGetAllAsync.mockClear();
   });
 
+  it('rejects backups that are not valid JSON', async () => {
+    await expect(importAllData('not json')).rejects.toThrow('not valid JSON');
+  });
+
   it('rejects backups that are missing required data', async () => {
     await expect(importAllData('{}')).rejects.toThrow('missing required data');
   });
diff --git a/src/services/exportImport.ts b/src/services/exportImport.ts
index 0a77f6b..b574241 100644
--- a/src/services/exportImport.ts
+++ b/src/services/exportImport.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,12 @@ export async function exportAllData(): Promise<string> {
 }
 
 export async function importAllData(json: string) {
-  const parsed = JSON.parse(json) as Partial<JobOpsBackup>;
+  let parsed: Partial<JobOpsBackup>;
+  try {
+    parsed = JSON.parse(json) as Partial<JobOpsBackup>;
+  } catch {
+    throw new Error('This backup is not valid JSON.');
+  }
   if (!Array.isArray(parsed.applications) || !Array.isArray(parsed.resume_versions) || !Array.isArray(parsed.status_history) || !Array.isArray(parsed.reminders)) {
     throw new Error('This backup is missing required data.');
   }