diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet2.cpp b/src/wallet/wallet2.cpp
index fba1ef534..59e759bfc 100644
--- a/src/wallet/wallet2.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet2.cpp
@@ -2302,7 +2302,7 @@ bool wallet2::load_keys(const std::string& keys_file_name, const epee::wipeable_
     m_confirm_backlog = true;
     m_confirm_backlog_threshold = 0;
   }
-  else
+  else if(json.IsObject())
   {
     if (!json.HasMember("key_data"))
     {
@@ -2381,6 +2381,11 @@ bool wallet2::load_keys(const std::string& keys_file_name, const epee::wipeable_
     // Wallet is being opened without testnet flag but is saved as a testnet wallet.
     THROW_WALLET_EXCEPTION_IF(!m_testnet && field_testnet, error::wallet_internal_error, "Testnet wallet can not be opened as mainnet wallet");
   }
+  else
+  {
+      THROW_WALLET_EXCEPTION(error::wallet_internal_error, "invalid password");
+      return false;
+  }
 
   const cryptonote::account_keys& keys = m_account.get_keys();
   r = epee::serialization::load_t_from_binary(m_account, account_data);