diff --git a/client/sagas/code-storage-saga.js b/client/sagas/code-storage-saga.js
index cc7904ba67..2ff705e7b4 100644
--- a/client/sagas/code-storage-saga.js
+++ b/client/sagas/code-storage-saga.js
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ import {
   updateMain,
   lockUntrustedCode
 } from '../../common/app/routes/challenges/redux/actions';
+import {
+  challengeSelector
+} from '../../common/app/routes/challenges/redux/selectors';
 
 const legacyPrefixes = [
   'Bonfire: ',
@@ -72,13 +75,14 @@ export function saveCodeSaga(actions, getState) {
     });
 }
 
-export function loadCodeSaga(actions$, getState, { window, location }) {
-  return actions$
+export function loadCodeSaga(actions, getState, { window, location }) {
+  return actions
     ::ofType(types.loadCode)
     .flatMap(() => {
       let finalFiles;
       const state = getState();
       const { user } = userSelector(state);
+      const { challenge } = challengeSelector(state);
       const {
         challengesApp: {
           id = '',
@@ -99,7 +103,7 @@ export function loadCodeSaga(actions$, getState, { window, location }) {
           makeToast({
             message: 'I found code in the URI. Loading now.'
           }),
-          savedCodeFound(finalFiles)
+          savedCodeFound(finalFiles, challenge)
         );
       }
 
@@ -118,7 +122,7 @@ export function loadCodeSaga(actions$, getState, { window, location }) {
           makeToast({
             message: 'I found some saved work. Loading now.'
           }),
-          savedCodeFound(finalFiles),
+          savedCodeFound(finalFiles, challenge),
           updateMain()
         );
       }
@@ -135,7 +139,7 @@ export function loadCodeSaga(actions$, getState, { window, location }) {
             makeToast({
               message: 'I found a previous solved solution. Loading now.'
             }),
-            savedCodeFound(finalFiles),
+            savedCodeFound(finalFiles, challenge),
             updateMain()
           );
         }
diff --git a/common/app/routes/challenges/redux/actions.js b/common/app/routes/challenges/redux/actions.js
index b2f8e65243..d4bcb0a421 100644
--- a/common/app/routes/challenges/redux/actions.js
+++ b/common/app/routes/challenges/redux/actions.js
@@ -91,7 +91,10 @@ export const moveToNextChallenge = createAction(types.moveToNextChallenge);
 // code storage
 export const saveCode = createAction(types.saveCode);
 export const loadCode = createAction(types.loadCode);
-export const savedCodeFound = createAction(types.savedCodeFound);
+export const savedCodeFound = createAction(
+  types.savedCodeFound,
+  (files, challenge) => ({ files, challenge })
+);
 export const clearSavedCode = createAction(types.clearSavedCode);
 
 
diff --git a/common/app/routes/challenges/redux/reducer.js b/common/app/routes/challenges/redux/reducer.js
index 8e0bb258d5..ed9bd3f821 100644
--- a/common/app/routes/challenges/redux/reducer.js
+++ b/common/app/routes/challenges/redux/reducer.js
@@ -221,9 +221,29 @@ const filesReducer = handleActions(
           return files;
         }, { ...state });
     },
-    [types.savedCodeFound]: (state, { payload: files }) => ({
-      ...files
-    }),
+    [types.savedCodeFound]: (state, { payload: { files, challenge } }) => {
+      if (challenge.type === 'mod') {
+        // this may need to change to update head/tail
+        return challenge.files;
+      }
+      if (
+        challenge.challengeType !== html &&
+        challenge.challengeType !== js &&
+        challenge.challengeType !== bonfire
+      ) {
+        return {};
+      }
+      // classic challenge to modern format
+      const preFile = getPreFile(challenge);
+      return {
+        [preFile.key]: createPoly({
+          ...files[preFile.key],
+          // make sure head/tail are always fresh
+          head: arrayToString(challenge.head),
+          tail: arrayToString(challenge.tail)
+        })
+      };
+    },
     [types.updateCurrentChallenge]: (state, { payload: challenge = {} }) => {
       if (challenge.type === 'mod') {
         return challenge.files;
@@ -238,7 +258,6 @@ const filesReducer = handleActions(
       // classic challenge to modern format
       const preFile = getPreFile(challenge);
       return {
-        ...state,
         [preFile.key]: createPoly({
           ...preFile,
           contents: buildSeed(challenge),