diff --git a/app/models/domain_version.rb b/app/models/domain_version.rb
index 7ff34dbab..dea1c7bda 100644
--- a/app/models/domain_version.rb
+++ b/app/models/domain_version.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ class DomainVersion < PaperTrail::Version
   self.sequence_name = :domain_version_id_seq
 
   def load_snapshot
-    YAML.load(snapshot)
+    snapshot ? YAML.load(snapshot) : {}
   end
 
   def previous?
diff --git a/app/views/admin/domain_versions/show.haml b/app/views/admin/domain_versions/show.haml
index f74bba303..70dfeb8f2 100644
--- a/app/views/admin/domain_versions/show.haml
+++ b/app/views/admin/domain_versions/show.haml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
         %tbody
           - @versions.each do |version|
             %tr
-              - children = YAML.load(version.snapshot)
+              - children = version.load_snapshot
               - next unless children.is_a?(Hash)
               - children = HashWithIndifferentAccess.new(children)
               - changes = version.changed_elements