diff --git a/src/components/CodeMirror.jsx b/src/components/CodeMirror.jsx
index 9fed878..abe5720 100644
--- a/src/components/CodeMirror.jsx
+++ b/src/components/CodeMirror.jsx
@@ -217,6 +217,11 @@ const CodeMirror = ({ text, root, mode, spellcheckOpts, highlights, collaboratio
     if (editorView.value) return;
     if (collaboration.error) return;
 
+    if (collaboration.ytext?.toString().length === 0 && text.get().length > 0) {
+      console.warn("[Collaboration] Remote state is empty, overriding with local state");
+      collaboration.ytext.insert(0, text.get());
+    }
+
     if (collaboration.opts.enabled) {
       text.set(collaboration.ytext.toString());
       collaboration.ytext.observe((ev, tr) => {