diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 8b565b7..413e602 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -81,6 +81,10 @@
           - target list is now centered if there are less than 9 targets
 --]]
 
+-- Required to save the travelnet data properly in all cases
+if not minetest.safe_file_write then
+	error("[Mod travelnet] Your Minetest version is no longer supported. (version < 0.4.17)")
+end
 
 travelnet = {};
 
@@ -99,37 +103,43 @@ minetest.register_privilege("travelnet_remove", { description = S("allows to dig
 -- read the configuration
 dofile(travelnet.path.."/config.lua"); -- the normal, default travelnet
 
-
+travelnet.mod_data_path = minetest.get_worldpath().."/mod_travelnet.data"
 
 -- TODO: save and restore ought to be library functions and not implemented in each individual mod!
 -- called whenever a station is added or removed
 travelnet.save_data = function()
 
    local data = minetest.serialize( travelnet.targets );
-   local path = minetest.get_worldpath().."/mod_travelnet.data";
 
-   local file = io.open( path, "w" );
-   if( file ) then
-      file:write( data );
-      file:close();
-   else
-      print(S("[Mod travelnet] Error: Savefile '%s' could not be written."):format(tostring(path)));
+   local success = minetest.safe_file_write( travelnet.mod_data_path, data );
+   if( not success ) then
+      print(S("[Mod travelnet] Error: Savefile '%s' could not be written.")
+         :format(travelnet.mod_data_path));
    end
 end
 
 
 travelnet.restore_data = function()
-
-   local path = minetest.get_worldpath().."/mod_travelnet.data";
-
-   local file = io.open( path, "r" );
-   if( file ) then
-      local data = file:read("*all");
-      travelnet.targets = minetest.deserialize( data );
-      file:close();
-   else
-      print(S("[Mod travelnet] Error: Savefile '%s' not found."):format(tostring(path)));
+   
+   local file = io.open( travelnet.mod_data_path, "r" );
+   if( not file ) then
+      print(S("[Mod travelnet] Error: Savefile '%s' not found.")
+         :format(travelnet.mod_data_path));
+      return;
    end
+
+   local data = file:read("*all");
+   travelnet.targets = minetest.deserialize( data );
+
+   if( not travelnet.targets ) then
+       local backup_file = travelnet.mod_data_path..".bak"
+       print(S("[Mod travelnet] Error: Savefile '%s' is damaged. Saved the backup as '%s'.")
+          :format(travelnet.mod_data_path, backup_file));
+
+       minetest.safe_file_write( backup_file, data );
+       travelnet.targets = {};
+   end
+   file:close();
 end
 
 
diff --git a/locale/de.po b/locale/de.po
index 74eae03..f39db71 100644
--- a/locale/de.po
+++ b/locale/de.po
@@ -319,3 +319,8 @@ msgstr "Station entfernen"
 #, lua-format
 msgid "You do not have enough room in your inventory."
 msgstr "Du hast nicht genug Platz in deinem Inventar."
+
+#: init.lua
+#, lua-format
+msgid "[Mod travelnet] Error: Savefile '%s' is damaged. Saved the backup as '%s'."
+msgstr "[Mod travelnet] Fehler: Sicherungsdatei '%s' ist beschädigt. Backup wurde unter '%s' gespeichert."
diff --git a/locale/template.pot b/locale/template.pot
index 177784c..86e0e5c 100644
--- a/locale/template.pot
+++ b/locale/template.pot
@@ -365,3 +365,8 @@ msgstr ""
 #, lua-format
 msgid "You do not have enough room in your inventory."
 msgstr ""
+
+#: init.lua
+#, lua-format
+msgid "[Mod travelnet] Error: Savefile '%s' is damaged. Saved the backup as '%s'."
+msgstr ""