diff --git a/src/tsconfig.strictNullChecks.json b/src/tsconfig.strictNullChecks.json
index cef953e7fa2..afe26f89aa6 100644
--- a/src/tsconfig.strictNullChecks.json
+++ b/src/tsconfig.strictNullChecks.json
@@ -502,6 +502,7 @@
 		"./vs/platform/search/common/search.ts",
 		"./vs/platform/search/test/common/replace.test.ts",
 		"./vs/platform/state/common/state.ts",
+		"./vs/platform/state/node/stateService.ts",
 		"./vs/platform/statusbar/common/statusbar.ts",
 		"./vs/platform/storage/common/storage.ts",
 		"./vs/platform/storage/common/storageLegacyService.ts",
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/state/common/state.ts b/src/vs/platform/state/common/state.ts
index db914cc4495..b6656dca46d 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/state/common/state.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/state/common/state.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ export const IStateService = createDecorator<IStateService>('stateService');
 export interface IStateService {
 	_serviceBrand: any;
 
-	getItem<T>(key: string, defaultValue?: T): T;
+	getItem<T>(key: string, defaultValue: T): T;
+	getItem<T>(key: string, defaultValue?: T): T | undefined;
 	setItem(key: string, data: any): void;
 	removeItem(key: string): void;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/vs/platform/state/node/stateService.ts b/src/vs/platform/state/node/stateService.ts
index 57c369a9275..4f09728a42e 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/state/node/stateService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/state/node/stateService.ts
@@ -13,19 +13,19 @@ import { ILogService } from 'vs/platform/log/common/log';
 
 export class FileStorage {
 
-	private database: object | null = null;
+	private _lazyDatabase: object | null = null;
 
 	constructor(private dbPath: string, private onError: (error) => void) { }
 
-	private ensureLoaded(): void {
-		if (!this.database) {
-			this.database = this.loadSync();
+	private get database(): object {
+		if (!this._lazyDatabase) {
+			this._lazyDatabase = this.loadSync();
 		}
+		return this._lazyDatabase;
 	}
 
-	getItem<T>(key: string, defaultValue?: T): T {
-		this.ensureLoaded();
-
+	getItem<T>(key: string, defaultValue: T): T;
+	getItem<T>(key: string, defaultValue?: T): T | undefined {
 		const res = this.database[key];
 		if (isUndefinedOrNull(res)) {
 			return defaultValue;
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ export class FileStorage {
 	}
 
 	setItem(key: string, data: any): void {
-		this.ensureLoaded();
-
 		// Remove an item when it is undefined or null
 		if (isUndefinedOrNull(data)) {
 			return this.removeItem(key);
@@ -54,8 +52,6 @@ export class FileStorage {
 	}
 
 	removeItem(key: string): void {
-		this.ensureLoaded();
-
 		// Only update if the key is actually present (not undefined)
 		if (!isUndefined(this.database[key])) {
 			this.database[key] = void 0;
@@ -94,7 +90,8 @@ export class StateService implements IStateService {
 		this.fileStorage = new FileStorage(path.join(environmentService.userDataPath, 'storage.json'), error => logService.error(error));
 	}
 
-	getItem<T>(key: string, defaultValue?: T): T {
+	getItem<T>(key: string, defaultValue: T): T;
+	getItem<T>(key: string, defaultValue?: T): T | undefined {
 		return this.fileStorage.getItem(key, defaultValue);
 	}