diff --git a/extensions/ipynb/src/serializer.ts b/extensions/ipynb/src/serializer.ts
index 8c880c051a6..b11a3733759 100644
--- a/extensions/ipynb/src/serializer.ts
+++ b/extensions/ipynb/src/serializer.ts
@@ -21,29 +21,22 @@ export class NotebookSerializer implements vscode.NotebookSerializer {
 		} catch {
 		}
 
-		let json: Partial<nbformat.INotebookContent>;
-		try {
-			json = contents ? (JSON.parse(contents) as Partial<nbformat.INotebookContent>) : {};
+		let json = contents ? (JSON.parse(contents) as Partial<nbformat.INotebookContent>) : {};
 
-			if (json.__webview_backup) {
-				const backupId = json.__webview_backup;
-				const uri = this.context.globalStorageUri;
-				const folder = uri.with({ path: this.context.globalStorageUri.path.replace('vscode.ipynb', 'ms-toolsai.jupyter') });
-				const fileHash = fnv.fast1a32hex(backupId) as string;
-				const fileName = `${fileHash}.ipynb`;
-				const file = vscode.Uri.joinPath(folder, fileName);
-				const data = await vscode.workspace.fs.readFile(file);
-				json = data ? JSON.parse(data.toString()) : {};
+		if (json.__webview_backup) {
+			const backupId = json.__webview_backup;
+			const uri = this.context.globalStorageUri;
+			const folder = uri.with({ path: this.context.globalStorageUri.path.replace('vscode.ipynb', 'ms-toolsai.jupyter') });
+			const fileHash = fnv.fast1a32hex(backupId) as string;
+			const fileName = `${fileHash}.ipynb`;
+			const file = vscode.Uri.joinPath(folder, fileName);
+			const data = await vscode.workspace.fs.readFile(file);
+			json = data ? JSON.parse(data.toString()) : {};
 
-				if (json.contents && typeof json.contents === 'string') {
-					contents = json.contents;
-					json = JSON.parse(contents) as Partial<nbformat.INotebookContent>;
-				}
+			if (json.contents && typeof json.contents === 'string') {
+				contents = json.contents;
+				json = JSON.parse(contents) as Partial<nbformat.INotebookContent>;
 			}
-		} catch (e) {
-			console.log(contents);
-			console.log(e);
-			throw e;
 		}
 
 		// Then compute indent from the contents