diff --git a/src/mixins/canvas_serialization.mixin.js b/src/mixins/canvas_serialization.mixin.js
index 8788bf22e..03518811e 100644
--- a/src/mixins/canvas_serialization.mixin.js
+++ b/src/mixins/canvas_serialization.mixin.js
@@ -48,11 +48,19 @@ fabric.util.object.extend(fabric.StaticCanvas.prototype, /** @lends fabric.Stati
       ? JSON.parse(json)
       : fabric.util.object.clone(json);
 
-    this.clear();
+    var _this = this,
+        renderOnAddRemove = this.renderOnAddRemove;
+    this.renderOnAddRemove = false;
 
-    var _this = this;
-    this._enlivenObjects(serialized.objects, function () {
+    this._enlivenObjects(serialized.objects, function (enlivenedObjects) {
+      _this.clear();
       _this._setBgOverlay(serialized, function () {
+        enlivenedObjects.forEach(function(obj, index) {
+          // we splice the array just in case some custom classes restored from JSON
+          // will add more object to canvas at canvas init.
+          _this.insertAt(obj, index);
+        });
+        _this.renderOnAddRemove = renderOnAddRemove;
         // remove parts i cannot set as options
         delete serialized.objects;
         delete serialized.backgroundImage;
@@ -64,6 +72,7 @@ fabric.util.object.extend(fabric.StaticCanvas.prototype, /** @lends fabric.Stati
         // create the Object instance. Here the Canvas is
         // already an instance and we are just loading things over it
         _this._setOptions(serialized);
+        _this.renderAll();
         callback && callback();
       });
     }, reviver);
@@ -76,13 +85,12 @@ fabric.util.object.extend(fabric.StaticCanvas.prototype, /** @lends fabric.Stati
    * @param {Function} callback Invoked after all background and overlay images/patterns loaded
    */
   _setBgOverlay: function(serialized, callback) {
-    var _this = this,
-        loaded = {
-          backgroundColor: false,
-          overlayColor: false,
-          backgroundImage: false,
-          overlayImage: false
-        };
+    var loaded = {
+      backgroundColor: false,
+      overlayColor: false,
+      backgroundImage: false,
+      overlayImage: false
+    };
 
     if (!serialized.backgroundImage && !serialized.overlayImage && !serialized.background && !serialized.overlay) {
       callback && callback();
@@ -91,7 +99,6 @@ fabric.util.object.extend(fabric.StaticCanvas.prototype, /** @lends fabric.Stati
 
     var cbIfLoaded = function () {
       if (loaded.backgroundImage && loaded.overlayImage && loaded.backgroundColor && loaded.overlayColor) {
-        _this.renderAll();
         callback && callback();
       }
     };
@@ -140,25 +147,13 @@ fabric.util.object.extend(fabric.StaticCanvas.prototype, /** @lends fabric.Stati
    * @param {Function} [reviver]
    */
   _enlivenObjects: function (objects, callback, reviver) {
-    var _this = this;
-
     if (!objects || objects.length === 0) {
-      callback && callback();
+      callback && callback([]);
       return;
     }
 
-    var renderOnAddRemove = this.renderOnAddRemove;
-    this.renderOnAddRemove = false;
-
     fabric.util.enlivenObjects(objects, function(enlivenedObjects) {
-      enlivenedObjects.forEach(function(obj, index) {
-        // we splice the array just in case some custom classes restored from JSON
-        // will add more object to canvas at canvas init.
-        _this.insertAt(obj, index);
-      });
-
-      _this.renderOnAddRemove = renderOnAddRemove;
-      callback && callback();
+      callback && callback(enlivenedObjects);
     }, null, reviver);
   },