diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/factories/__tests__/state_factory.js b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/factories/__tests__/state_factory.js
index 77b4ad21000f..d8b177301e5c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/factories/__tests__/state_factory.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/factories/__tests__/state_factory.js
@@ -13,9 +13,11 @@ import { stateFactoryProvider } from '../state_factory';
 
 describe('ML - mlStateFactory', () => {
   let stateFactory;
+  let AppState;
 
   beforeEach(ngMock.module('kibana'));
   beforeEach(ngMock.inject(($injector) => {
+    AppState = $injector.get('AppState');
     const Private = $injector.get('Private');
     stateFactory = Private(stateFactoryProvider);
   }));
@@ -53,4 +55,49 @@ describe('ML - mlStateFactory', () => {
     state.set('testValue', 10);
     state.changed();
   });
+
+  it(`Malformed AppState, state falls back to undefined, doesn't throw an error`, () => {
+    const state = stateFactory('testName');
+
+    // First update the state without interfering with AppState
+    state.set('testValue', 1);
+    expect(state.get('testValue')).to.be(1);
+
+    // Manipulate AppState first, then set and get the custom state.
+    const appState = new AppState();
+    appState.fetch();
+    appState.testName = undefined;
+    appState.save();
+    state.set('testValue', 2);
+    expect(state.get('testValue')).to.be(2);
+
+    // Now set the custom state, then manipulate AppState, then get the custom state.
+    // Because AppState was malformed between set and get, the custom state will fallback
+    // to the default state, in this case undefined
+    state.set('testValue', 3);
+    appState.fetch();
+    appState.testName = undefined;
+    appState.save();
+    expect(state.get('testValue')).to.be(undefined);
+  });
+
+  it(`Malformed AppState, state falls back to default, doesn't throw an error`, () => {
+    const state = stateFactory('testName', {
+      testValue: 1
+    });
+
+    // First update the state without interfering with AppState
+    state.set('testValue', 2);
+    expect(state.get('testValue')).to.be(2);
+
+    // Now set the custom state, then manipulate AppState, then get the custom state.
+    // Because AppState was malformed between set and get, the custom state will fallback
+    // to the default state, in this case 1
+    state.set('testValue', 3);
+    const appState = new AppState();
+    appState.fetch();
+    appState.testName = undefined;
+    appState.save();
+    expect(state.get('testValue')).to.be(1);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/factories/state_factory.js b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/factories/state_factory.js
index 6248bd92ce9f..f9db571e70f2 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/factories/state_factory.js
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/public/factories/state_factory.js
@@ -19,11 +19,7 @@ import { listenerFactoryProvider } from './listener_factory';
 // Have a look at the unit tests which demonstrate basic usage.
 
 export function stateFactoryProvider(AppState) {
-  return function (stateName, defaultState) {
-    if (typeof stateName !== 'string') {
-      throw 'stateName needs to be of type `string`';
-    }
-
+  function initializeAppState(stateName, defaultState) {
     const appState = new AppState();
     appState.fetch();
 
@@ -49,6 +45,16 @@ export function stateFactoryProvider(AppState) {
       }
     }
 
+    return appState;
+  }
+
+  return function (stateName, defaultState) {
+    if (typeof stateName !== 'string') {
+      throw 'stateName needs to be of type `string`';
+    }
+
+    let appState = initializeAppState(stateName, defaultState);
+
     // () two times here, because the Provider first returns
     // the Factory, which then returns the actual listener
     const listener = listenerFactoryProvider()();
@@ -60,11 +66,13 @@ export function stateFactoryProvider(AppState) {
     // on the state.
     const state = {
       get(name) {
-        return appState[stateName] && appState[stateName][name];
+        updateAppState();
+        return appState[stateName][name];
       },
       // only if value doesn't match the existing one, the state gets updated
       // and saved.
       set(name, value) {
+        updateAppState();
         if (!_.isEqual(appState[stateName][name], value)) {
           appState[stateName][name] = value;
           appState.save();
@@ -73,6 +81,7 @@ export function stateFactoryProvider(AppState) {
         return state;
       },
       reset() {
+        updateAppState();
         if (!_.isEqual(appState[stateName], defaultState)) {
           appState[stateName] = _.cloneDeep(defaultState);
           appState.save();
@@ -92,6 +101,16 @@ export function stateFactoryProvider(AppState) {
       }
     };
 
+    // gets the current state of AppState, if for whatever reason this custom
+    // state isn't part of AppState anymore, reinitialize it
+    function updateAppState() {
+      appState.fetch();
+      if (typeof appState[stateName] === 'undefined') {
+        appState = initializeAppState(stateName, defaultState);
+        changed = true;
+      }
+    }
+
     return state;
   };
 }