diff --git a/spinnakerresource/application.go b/spinnakerresource/application.go
index abf2e78..cb92958 100644
--- a/spinnakerresource/application.go
+++ b/spinnakerresource/application.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ func (a *Application) Init(api *gc.GateapiClient, localData map[string]interface
 	a.name = name
 	if api != nil {
 		if err := a.LoadRemoteState(api); err != nil {
+			err := a.SaveLocalState(api)
 			return err
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/spinnakerresource/pipeline.go b/spinnakerresource/pipeline.go
index 6273f21..0a53ce4 100644
--- a/spinnakerresource/pipeline.go
+++ b/spinnakerresource/pipeline.go
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ func (p *Pipeline) Init(api *gc.GateapiClient, localData map[string]interface{})
 	p.templateReference = reference
 	if api != nil {
 		if err := p.LoadRemoteState(api); err != nil {
+			err := p.SaveLocalState(api)
 			return err
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/spinnakerresource/pipelinetemplate.go b/spinnakerresource/pipelinetemplate.go
index c09f666..87c5159 100644
--- a/spinnakerresource/pipelinetemplate.go
+++ b/spinnakerresource/pipelinetemplate.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ func (pt *PipelineTemplate) Init(api *gc.GateapiClient, localData map[string]int
 	pt.name = name
 	if api != nil {
 		if err := pt.LoadRemoteState(api); err != nil {
+			err := pt.SaveLocalState(api)
 			return err
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/spinnakerresource/resource.go b/spinnakerresource/resource.go
index 78e6bbc..1021a50 100644
--- a/spinnakerresource/resource.go
+++ b/spinnakerresource/resource.go
@@ -86,8 +86,10 @@ func (r *Resource) unmarshalStates() (localJSON, remoteJSON map[string]interface
 		return
 	}
 
-	if err = json.Unmarshal(r.remoteState, &remoteJSON); err != nil {
-		return
+	if len(r.remoteState) != 0 {
+		if err = json.Unmarshal(r.remoteState, &remoteJSON); err != nil {
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
 	var state []byte