diff --git a/src/state/persisted/index.ts b/src/state/persisted/index.ts
index 4d863f91ea..d792bc6ea1 100644
--- a/src/state/persisted/index.ts
+++ b/src/state/persisted/index.ts
@@ -139,7 +139,9 @@ async function persistWithRetry(value: Schema) {
 
 async function writeToStorage(value: Schema) {
   const rawData = tryStringify(value)
-  if (!rawData) return
+  if (!rawData) {
+    throw new Error('Failed to serialize persisted state')
+  }
   try {
     await AsyncStorage.setItem(BSKY_STORAGE, rawData)
   } catch (e) {
diff --git a/src/state/persisted/index.web.ts b/src/state/persisted/index.web.ts
index 7891be22ad..95312c76c7 100644
--- a/src/state/persisted/index.web.ts
+++ b/src/state/persisted/index.web.ts
@@ -225,7 +225,9 @@ function broadcastUpdate({
 
 function writeToStorage(value: Schema) {
   const rawData = tryStringify(value)
-  if (!rawData) return
+  if (!rawData) {
+    throw new Error('Failed to serialize persisted state')
+  }
   try {
     localStorage.setItem(BSKY_STORAGE, rawData)
     if (localStorage.getItem(BSKY_STORAGE) !== rawData) {