diff --git a/unity_package/Runtime/VELConnectManager.cs b/unity_package/Runtime/VELConnectManager.cs
index 507daf3..2605a32 100644
--- a/unity_package/Runtime/VELConnectManager.cs
+++ b/unity_package/Runtime/VELConnectManager.cs
@@ -259,6 +259,15 @@ namespace VELConnect
 					{
 						state = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<State>(json);
 						if (state == null) return;
+						if (state.room == null) {
+							state.room = new State.DataBlock
+							{
+								category = "room",
+								modified_by = "Unity",
+								data = null,
+								block_id = Application.productName + "_" + VelNetManager.Room
+							};
+						}
 
 						bool isInitialState = false;
 
@@ -404,7 +413,7 @@ namespace VELConnect
 						}
 
 						// if (state.room.modified_by != DeviceId && state.room.data != null)
-						if (state.room?.data != null)
+						if (state.room.data != null)
 						{
 							foreach (KeyValuePair<string, string> elem in state.room.data)
 							{
@@ -751,6 +760,7 @@ namespace VELConnect
 			State.DataBlock room = new State.DataBlock
 			{
 				category = "room",
+				modified_by = "Unity",
 				data = data
 			};
 
diff --git a/unity_package/package.json b/unity_package/package.json
index f317ca7..5053237 100644
--- a/unity_package/package.json
+++ b/unity_package/package.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "name": "edu.uga.engr.vel.vel-connect",
   "displayName": "VEL-Connect",
-  "version": "4.0.3",
+  "version": "4.0.4",
   "unity": "2019.1",
   "description": "Web-based configuration for VR applications",
   "keywords": [],