diff --git a/frontend/static/js/challenge.js b/frontend/static/js/challenge.js
index 547214f1..44a179b3 100644
--- a/frontend/static/js/challenge.js
+++ b/frontend/static/js/challenge.js
@@ -172,11 +172,15 @@ angular.module("FICApp", ["ngRoute", "ngSanitize"])
 
 	    $http.get("settings.json").then(function(response) {
 		var time = $rootScope.recvTime(response);
-		response.data.start = new Date(response.data.start);
-		response.data.end = new Date(response.data.end);
-		response.data.generation = new Date(response.data.generation);
-		response.data.activateTime = new Date(response.data.activateTime);
-		if (response.data.activateTime <= new Date(Date.now() + (time.cu - time.he))) {
+		if (response.data.start)
+		    response.data.start = new Date(response.data.start);
+		if (response.data.end)
+		    response.data.end = new Date(response.data.end);
+		if (response.data.generation)
+		    response.data.generation = new Date(response.data.generation);
+		if (response.data.activateTime)
+		    response.data.activateTime = new Date(response.data.activateTime);
+		if ($rootScope.settings === undefined || response.data.activateTime === undefined || response.data.activateTime <= new Date(Date.now() + (time.cu - time.he))) {
 		    $rootScope.settings = response.data;
 		    if (response.data.eventKindness && refreshEventsInterval) {
 			$interval.cancel(refreshEventsInterval);
diff --git a/frontend/static/js/common.js b/frontend/static/js/common.js
index 95d08cae..98de08cf 100644
--- a/frontend/static/js/common.js
+++ b/frontend/static/js/common.js
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ angular.module("FICApp")
 		    $rootScope.refresh(true, true);
 
 		var remain = 0;
-		if ($rootScope.settings.start == 0) {
+		if ($rootScope.settings.start === undefined || $rootScope.settings.start == 0) {
 		    $scope.time = {};
 		    return
 		} else if ($rootScope.settings.start > srv_cur) {