diff --git a/src/public/app/services/tree.js b/src/public/app/services/tree.js
index 4910f4c36..40254a890 100644
--- a/src/public/app/services/tree.js
+++ b/src/public/app/services/tree.js
@@ -162,6 +162,13 @@ function getNoteIdFromNotePath(notePath) {
 }
 
 function getNoteIdAndParentIdFromNotePath(notePath) {
+    if (notePath === 'root') {
+        return {
+            noteId: 'root',
+            parentNoteId: 'none'
+        };
+    }
+
     let parentNoteId = 'root';
     let noteId = '';
 
@@ -286,4 +293,4 @@ export default {
     getNotePathTitle,
     getHashValueFromAddress,
     parseNotePath
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};
diff --git a/src/routes/api/export.js b/src/routes/api/export.js
index 7464c793a..109b9bb7b 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/export.js
+++ b/src/routes/api/export.js
@@ -11,6 +11,14 @@ async function exportBranch(req, res) {
     const {branchId, type, format, version, taskId} = req.params;
     const branch = await repository.getBranch(branchId);
 
+    if (!branch) {
+        const message = `Cannot export branch ${branchId} since it does not exist.`;
+        log.error(message);
+
+        res.status(500).send(message);
+        return;
+    }
+
     const taskContext = new TaskContext(taskId, 'export');
 
     try {
@@ -39,4 +47,4 @@ async function exportBranch(req, res) {
 
 module.exports = {
     exportBranch
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+};