diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 9f7505a01..a410fb7fd 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
     "promise": "8.0.1",
     "scratch-audio": "latest",
     "scratch-blocks": "latest",
+    "scratch-parser": "latest",
     "scratch-render": "latest",
     "scratch-storage": "^0.4.0",
     "script-loader": "0.7.2",
diff --git a/src/virtual-machine.js b/src/virtual-machine.js
index 3d3c16791..43aa0561d 100644
--- a/src/virtual-machine.js
+++ b/src/virtual-machine.js
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ const sb2 = require('./serialization/sb2');
 const sb3 = require('./serialization/sb3');
 const StringUtil = require('./util/string-util');
 const formatMessage = require('format-message');
+const validate = require('scratch-parser');
+
 const Variable = require('./engine/variable');
 
 const {loadCostume} = require('./import/load-costume.js');
@@ -230,26 +232,75 @@ class VirtualMachine extends EventEmitter {
             return;
         }
 
-        // Attempt to parse JSON if string is supplied
-        if (typeof json === 'string') json = JSON.parse(json);
-
         // Establish version, deserialize, and load into runtime
         // @todo Support Scratch 1.4
         // @todo This is an extremely naïve / dangerous way of determining version.
         //       See `scratch-parser` for a more sophisticated validation
         //       methodology that should be adapted for use here
         let deserializer;
-        if ((typeof json.meta !== 'undefined') && (typeof json.meta.semver !== 'undefined')) {
+        let validatedProject;
+        const possibleSb3 = typeof json === 'string' ? JSON.parse(json) : json;
+        if ((typeof possibleSb3.meta !== 'undefined') && (typeof possibleSb3.meta.semver !== 'undefined')) {
             deserializer = sb3;
+            validatedProject = possibleSb3;
         } else {
-            deserializer = sb2;
+            // @todo need to handle default project
+            validate(json, (err, project) => {
+                if (err) {
+                    // @todo Making this a warning for now. Should be updated with error handling
+                    log.warn(
+                        `There was an error in validating the project: ${JSON.stringify(err)}`);
+                    deserializer = sb2;
+                    validatedProject = possibleSb3;
+                } else {
+                    deserializer = sb2;
+                    validatedProject = project;
+                }
+                // handle the error
+            });
         }
 
-        return deserializer.deserialize(json, this.runtime)
+        return deserializer.deserialize(validatedProject, this.runtime)
             .then(({targets, extensions}) =>
                 this.installTargets(targets, extensions, true));
     }
 
+
+    // /**
+    //  * Load a project from a Scratch JSON representation.
+    //  * @param {string} json JSON string representing a project.
+    //  * @returns {Promise} Promise that resolves after the project has loaded
+    //  */
+    // fromJSON (json) {
+    //     // Clear the current runtime
+    //     this.clear();
+    //
+    //     // Validate & parse
+    //     if (typeof json !== 'string' && typeof json !== 'object') {
+    //         log.error('Failed to parse project. Invalid type supplied to fromJSON.');
+    //         return;
+    //     }
+    //
+    //     // Attempt to parse JSON if string is supplied
+    //     if (typeof json === 'string') json = JSON.parse(json);
+    //
+    //     // Establish version, deserialize, and load into runtime
+    //     // @todo Support Scratch 1.4
+    //     // @todo This is an extremely naïve / dangerous way of determining version.
+    //     //       See `scratch-parser` for a more sophisticated validation
+    //     //       methodology that should be adapted for use here
+    //     let deserializer;
+    //     if ((typeof json.meta !== 'undefined') && (typeof json.meta.semver !== 'undefined')) {
+    //         deserializer = sb3;
+    //     } else {
+    //         deserializer = sb2;
+    //     }
+    //
+    //     return deserializer.deserialize(json, this.runtime)
+    //         .then(({targets, extensions}) =>
+    //             this.installTargets(targets, extensions, true));
+    // }
+
     /**
      * Install `deserialize` results: zero or more targets after the extensions (if any) used by those targets.
      * @param {Array.<Target>} targets - the targets to be installed