diff --git a/copyparty/web/browser.html b/copyparty/web/browser.html
index 10a82474..a9e81710 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/browser.html
+++ b/copyparty/web/browser.html
@@ -148,7 +148,8 @@
 			logues = {{ logues|tojson if sb_lg else "[]" }},
 			ls0 = {{ ls0|tojson }};
 
-		document.documentElement.className = localStorage.cpp_thm || dtheme;
+		var STG = window.localStorage;
+		document.documentElement.className = (STG && STG.cpp_thm) || dtheme;
 	</script>
 	<script src="{{ r }}/.cpr/util.js?_={{ ts }}"></script>
 	<script src="{{ r }}/.cpr/baguettebox.js?_={{ ts }}"></script>
diff --git a/copyparty/web/browser.js b/copyparty/web/browser.js
index 28cf5fa3..8ecc7648 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/browser.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/browser.js
@@ -3405,8 +3405,8 @@ function sortfiles(nodes) {
 	}
 	catch (ex) {
 		console.log("failed to apply sort config: " + ex);
-		console.log("resetting fsort " + sread('fsort'))
-		localStorage.removeItem('fsort');
+		console.log("resetting fsort " + sread('fsort'));
+		sdrop('fsort');
 	}
 	return nodes;
 }
diff --git a/copyparty/web/md.html b/copyparty/web/md.html
index 5e08d07a..cbc2eb9c 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/md.html
+++ b/copyparty/web/md.html
@@ -139,16 +139,15 @@ var md_opt = {
 };
 
 (function () {
-	var l = localStorage,
-		drk = l.light != 1,
+	var l = window.localStorage,
+		drk = (l && l.light) != 1,
 		btn = document.getElementById("lightswitch"),
 		f = function (e) {
 if (e) { e.preventDefault(); drk = !drk; }
 document.documentElement.className = drk? "z":"y";
 btn.innerHTML = "go " + (drk ? "light":"dark");
-l.light = drk? 0:1;
+try { l.light = drk? 0:1; } catch (ex) { }
 		};
-	
 	btn.onclick = f;
 	f();
 })();
diff --git a/copyparty/web/md2.js b/copyparty/web/md2.js
index f2f8a01a..dc2f702b 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/md2.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/md2.js
@@ -933,7 +933,7 @@ var set_lno = (function () {
     var keydown = function (ev) {
         if (!ev && window.event) {
             ev = window.event;
-            if (localStorage.dev_fbw == 1) {
+            if (dev_fbw == 1) {
                 toast.warn(10, 'hello from fallback code ;_;\ncheck console trace');
                 console.error('using window.event');
             }
diff --git a/copyparty/web/mde.html b/copyparty/web/mde.html
index bba78514..8b57336b 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/mde.html
+++ b/copyparty/web/mde.html
@@ -37,12 +37,12 @@ var md_opt = {
 };
 
 var lightswitch = (function () {
-	var l = localStorage,
-		drk = l.light != 1,
+	var l = window.localStorage,
+		drk = (l && l.light) != 1,
 		f = function (e) {
 if (e) drk = !drk;
 document.documentElement.className = drk? "z":"y";
-l.light = drk? 0:1;
+try { l.light = drk? 0:1; } catch (ex) { }
 		};
 	f();
 	return f;
diff --git a/copyparty/web/splash.html b/copyparty/web/splash.html
index 47db5a1a..29776e19 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/splash.html
+++ b/copyparty/web/splash.html
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ var SR = {{ r|tojson }},
 	lang="{{ lang }}",
 	dfavico="{{ favico }}";
 
-document.documentElement.className=localStorage.cpp_thm||"{{ this.args.theme }}";
+var STG = window.localStorage;
+document.documentElement.className = (STG && STG.cpp_thm) || "{{ this.args.theme }}";
 
 </script>
 <script src="{{ r }}/.cpr/util.js?_={{ ts }}"></script>
diff --git a/copyparty/web/svcs.html b/copyparty/web/svcs.html
index c0df4a24..1353ffe6 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/svcs.html
+++ b/copyparty/web/svcs.html
@@ -238,7 +238,8 @@ var SR = {{ r|tojson }},
     lang="{{ lang }}",
 	dfavico="{{ favico }}";
 
-document.documentElement.className=localStorage.cpp_thm||"{{ args.theme }}";
+var STG = window.localStorage;
+document.documentElement.className = (STG && STG.cpp_thm) || "{{ args.theme }}";
 
 </script>
 <script src="{{ r }}/.cpr/util.js?_={{ ts }}"></script>
diff --git a/copyparty/web/up2k.js b/copyparty/web/up2k.js
index 3148a52a..51e37d0f 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/up2k.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/up2k.js
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ function U2pvis(act, btns, uc, st) {
         if (sread('potato') === null) {
             btn.click();
             toast.inf(30, L.u_gotpot);
-            localStorage.removeItem('potato');
+            sdrop('potato');
         }
 
         u2f.appendChild(ode);
@@ -2687,7 +2687,7 @@ function up2k_init(subtle) {
 
             parallel_uploads = v;
             if (v == u2j)
-                localStorage.removeItem('nthread');
+                sdrop('nthread');
             else
                 swrite('nthread', v);
 
diff --git a/copyparty/web/util.js b/copyparty/web/util.js
index ca7c0840..dc548cab 100644
--- a/copyparty/web/util.js
+++ b/copyparty/web/util.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ if (window.CGV)
 
 
 var wah = '',
+    STG = null,
     NOAC = 'autocorrect="off" autocapitalize="off"',
     L, tt, treectl, thegrid, up2k, asmCrypto, hashwasm, vbar, marked,
     T0 = Date.now(),
@@ -40,6 +41,16 @@ if (!window.Notification || !Notification.permission)
 if (!window.FormData)
     window.FormData = false;
 
+try {
+    STG = window.localStorage;
+    STG.STG;
+}
+catch (ex) {
+    STG = null;
+    if ((ex + '').indexOf('sandbox') < 0)
+        console.log('no localStorage: ' + ex);
+}
+
 try {
     CB = '?' + document.currentScript.src.split('?').pop();
 
@@ -285,10 +296,11 @@ function anymod(e, shift_ok) {
 }
 
 
+var dev_fbw = sread('dev_fbw');
 function ev(e) {
     if (!e && window.event) {
         e = window.event;
-        if (localStorage.dev_fbw == 1) {
+        if (dev_fbw == 1) {
             toast.warn(10, 'hello from fallback code ;_;\ncheck console trace');
             console.error('using window.event');
         }
@@ -925,9 +937,16 @@ function jcp(obj) {
 }
 
 
+function sdrop(key) {
+    try {
+        STG.removeItem(key);
+    }
+    catch (ex) { }
+}
+
 function sread(key, al) {
     try {
-        var ret = localStorage.getItem(key);
+        var ret = STG.getItem(key);
         return (!al || has(al, ret)) ? ret : null;
     }
     catch (e) {
@@ -938,9 +957,9 @@ function sread(key, al) {
 function swrite(key, val) {
     try {
         if (val === undefined || val === null)
-            localStorage.removeItem(key);
+            STG.removeItem(key);
         else
-            localStorage.setItem(key, val);
+            STG.setItem(key, val);
     }
     catch (e) { }
 }