diff --git a/src/Autoload/OpenSave.gd b/src/Autoload/OpenSave.gd
index 6472632c1a4..333ca0adbea 100644
--- a/src/Autoload/OpenSave.gd
+++ b/src/Autoload/OpenSave.gd
@@ -217,20 +217,7 @@ func open_pxo_file(path: String, untitled_backup := false, replace_empty := true
 			zip_reader.close()
 			return
 
-		new_project.deserialize(result)
-		for frame_index in new_project.frames.size():
-			var frame := new_project.frames[frame_index]
-			for cel_index in frame.cels.size():
-				var cel := frame.cels[cel_index]
-				if not cel is PixelCel:
-					continue
-				var image_data := zip_reader.read_file(
-					"image_data/frames/%s/layer_%s" % [frame_index + 1, cel_index + 1]
-				)
-				var image := Image.create_from_data(
-					new_project.size.x, new_project.size.y, false, Image.FORMAT_RGBA8, image_data
-				)
-				cel.image_changed(image)
+		new_project.deserialize(result, zip_reader)
 		if result.has("brushes"):
 			var brush_index := 0
 			for brush in result.brushes:
@@ -317,19 +304,7 @@ func open_v0_pxo_file(path: String, empty_project: bool) -> Project:
 		new_project.name = path.get_file()
 	else:
 		new_project = Project.new([], path.get_file())
-	new_project.deserialize(result)
-	for frame in new_project.frames:
-		for cel in frame.cels:
-			if cel is PixelCel:
-				var buffer := file.get_buffer(new_project.size.x * new_project.size.y * 4)
-				var image := Image.create_from_data(
-					new_project.size.x, new_project.size.y, false, Image.FORMAT_RGBA8, buffer
-				)
-				cel.image_changed(image)
-			elif cel is Cel3D:
-				# Don't do anything with it, just read it so that the file can move on
-				file.get_buffer(new_project.size.x * new_project.size.y * 4)
-
+	new_project.deserialize(result, null, file)
 	if result.has("brushes"):
 		for brush in result.brushes:
 			var b_width = brush.size_x
diff --git a/src/Classes/Project.gd b/src/Classes/Project.gd
index 11ca20a5433..a0affc0ebc8 100644
--- a/src/Classes/Project.gd
+++ b/src/Classes/Project.gd
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ func serialize() -> Dictionary:
 	return project_data
 
 
-func deserialize(dict: Dictionary) -> void:
+func deserialize(dict: Dictionary, zip_reader: ZIPReader = null, file: FileAccess = null) -> void:
 	about_to_deserialize.emit(dict)
 	if dict.has("size_x") and dict.has("size_y"):
 		size.x = dict.size_x
@@ -391,10 +391,26 @@ func deserialize(dict: Dictionary) -> void:
 			for cel in frame.cels:
 				match int(dict.layers[cel_i].get("type", Global.LayerTypes.PIXEL)):
 					Global.LayerTypes.PIXEL:
-						cels.append(PixelCel.new(Image.new()))
+						var image := Image.new()
+						if is_instance_valid(zip_reader):  # For pxo files saved in 1.0+
+							var image_data := zip_reader.read_file(
+								"image_data/frames/%s/layer_%s" % [frame_i + 1, cel_i + 1]
+							)
+							image = Image.create_from_data(
+								size.x, size.y, false, Image.FORMAT_RGBA8, image_data
+							)
+						elif is_instance_valid(file):  # For pxo files saved in 0.x
+							var buffer := file.get_buffer(size.x * size.y * 4)
+							image = Image.create_from_data(
+								size.x, size.y, false, Image.FORMAT_RGBA8, buffer
+							)
+						cels.append(PixelCel.new(image))
 					Global.LayerTypes.GROUP:
 						cels.append(GroupCel.new())
 					Global.LayerTypes.THREE_D:
+						if is_instance_valid(file):  # For pxo files saved in 0.x
+							# Don't do anything with it, just read it so that the file can move on
+							file.get_buffer(size.x * size.y * 4)
 						cels.append(Cel3D.new(size, true))
 				if dict.has("pxo_version"):
 					cel["pxo_version"] = dict["pxo_version"]