diff --git a/lisp/desktop.el b/lisp/desktop.el
index 55ec71c..4f98658 100644
--- a/lisp/desktop.el
+++ b/lisp/desktop.el
@@ -841,10 +841,12 @@ desktop--v2s
     ((or (numberp value) (null value) (eq t value) (keywordp value))
      (cons 'may value))
     ((stringp value)
-     (let ((copy (copy-sequence value)))
-       (set-text-properties 0 (length copy) nil copy)
-       ;; Get rid of text properties because we cannot read them.
-       (cons 'may copy)))
+     ;; Get rid of unreadable text properties.
+     (if (ignore-errors (read (format "%S" value)))
+         (cons 'may value)
+       (let ((copy (copy-sequence value)))
+         (set-text-properties 0 (length copy) nil copy)
+         (cons 'may copy))))
     ((symbolp value)
      (cons 'must value))
     ((vectorp value)