diff --git a/nodes/xilica-listen.html b/nodes/xilica-listen.html
index 58f364f..cc93f85 100644
--- a/nodes/xilica-listen.html
+++ b/nodes/xilica-listen.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ RED.nodes.registerType('xilica-listen', {
   defaults: {
     name: { value: "" },
     connection: { value: "", type: "xilica-connection" },
-    rules: { value: [] }
+    rules: { value: "[]" }
   },
   inputs: 1,
   outputs: 1,
@@ -18,15 +18,10 @@ RED.nodes.registerType('xilica-listen', {
   },
   oneditprepare: function () {
     var node = this;
-    var rules = node.rules || [];
-    if (typeof rules === "string") {
-      try {
-        rules = JSON.parse(rules);
-      } catch (e) {
-        rules = [];
-      }
-    }
-    if (!Array.isArray(rules)) {
+    var rules;
+    try {
+      rules = node.rules ? JSON.parse(node.rules) : [];
+    } catch (e) {
       rules = [];
     }
 
@@ -118,7 +113,7 @@ RED.nodes.registerType('xilica-listen', {
       rules.push(rule);
     });
 
-    this.rules = rules;
+    this.rules = JSON.stringify(rules);
   }
 });
 </script>
diff --git a/nodes/xilica-listen.js b/nodes/xilica-listen.js
index e98706b..f3e240e 100644
--- a/nodes/xilica-listen.js
+++ b/nodes/xilica-listen.js
@@ -54,7 +54,15 @@ module.exports = function (RED) {
     RED.nodes.createNode(this, config);
     const node = this;
 
-    node.rules = Array.isArray(config.rules) ? config.rules : [];
+    let storedRules = config.rules;
+    if (typeof storedRules === "string") {
+      try {
+        storedRules = JSON.parse(storedRules);
+      } catch (e) {
+        storedRules = [];
+      }
+    }
+    node.rules = Array.isArray(storedRules) ? storedRules : [];
 
     node.on("input", (msg, send, done) => {
       send =
@@ -76,7 +84,17 @@ module.exports = function (RED) {
         return;
       }
 
-      const rules = Array.isArray(msg.rules) ? msg.rules : node.rules;
+      let rules = msg.rules || node.rules;
+      if (typeof rules === "string") {
+        try {
+          rules = JSON.parse(rules);
+        } catch (e) {
+          rules = [];
+        }
+      }
+      if (!Array.isArray(rules)) {
+        rules = [];
+      }
       const names = buildControlNamesFromRules(rules);
       const matchAll = names.length === 0;
       const allowed = new Set(names);
@@ -139,4 +157,3 @@ module.exports = function (RED) {
 
   RED.nodes.registerType("xilica-listen", XilicaListen);
 };
-
diff --git a/nodes/xilica-subscribe.html b/nodes/xilica-subscribe.html
index 7244690..76e5a84 100644
--- a/nodes/xilica-subscribe.html
+++ b/nodes/xilica-subscribe.html
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ RED.nodes.registerType('xilica-subscribe', {
     name: { value: "" },
     action: { value: "subscribe" },
     connection: { value: "", type: "xilica-connection" },
-    rules: { value: [] },
+    rules: { value: "[]" },
     transport: { value: "TCP" }
   },
   inputs: 1,
@@ -21,15 +21,10 @@ RED.nodes.registerType('xilica-subscribe', {
   },
   oneditprepare: function () {
     var node = this;
-    var rules = node.rules || [];
-    if (typeof rules === "string") {
-      try {
-        rules = JSON.parse(rules);
-      } catch (e) {
-        rules = [];
-      }
-    }
-    if (!Array.isArray(rules)) {
+    var rules;
+    try {
+      rules = node.rules ? JSON.parse(node.rules) : [];
+    } catch (e) {
       rules = [];
     }
 
@@ -121,7 +116,7 @@ RED.nodes.registerType('xilica-subscribe', {
       rules.push(rule);
     });
 
-    this.rules = rules;
+    this.rules = JSON.stringify(rules);
   }
 });
 </script>
diff --git a/nodes/xilica-subscribe.js b/nodes/xilica-subscribe.js
index 879da1f..9491aac 100644
--- a/nodes/xilica-subscribe.js
+++ b/nodes/xilica-subscribe.js
@@ -65,7 +65,15 @@ module.exports = function (RED) {
     const node = this;
 
     node.action = config.action || "subscribe";
-    node.rules = Array.isArray(config.rules) ? config.rules : [];
+    let storedRules = config.rules;
+    if (typeof storedRules === "string") {
+      try {
+        storedRules = JSON.parse(storedRules);
+      } catch (e) {
+        storedRules = [];
+      }
+    }
+    node.rules = Array.isArray(storedRules) ? storedRules : [];
     node.transport = config.transport || "TCP";
     node.connectionConfig = RED.nodes.getNode(config.connection);
 
@@ -78,7 +86,17 @@ module.exports = function (RED) {
       done = done || function () {};
 
       const action = normaliseAction(msg.action || node.action);
-      const rules = Array.isArray(msg.rules) ? msg.rules : node.rules;
+      let rules = msg.rules || node.rules;
+      if (typeof rules === "string") {
+        try {
+          rules = JSON.parse(rules);
+        } catch (e) {
+          rules = [];
+        }
+      }
+      if (!Array.isArray(rules)) {
+        rules = [];
+      }
 
       const transport =
         typeof msg.transport === "string" && msg.transport.trim().length