diff --git a/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/model/PermissionHolderIdentifier.java b/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/model/PermissionHolderIdentifier.java
index d76ad026c..36f7f8101 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/model/PermissionHolderIdentifier.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/model/PermissionHolderIdentifier.java
@@ -35,11 +35,6 @@ public final class PermissionHolderIdentifier implements Identifier {
     private final String type;
     private final String name;
 
-    public PermissionHolderIdentifier(String type, String name) {
-        this.type = type;
-        this.name = name;
-    }
-
     public PermissionHolderIdentifier(HolderType type, String name) {
         this.type = type == HolderType.USER ? Identifier.USER_TYPE : Identifier.GROUP_TYPE;
         this.name = name;
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/node/utils/NodeJsonSerializer.java b/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/node/utils/NodeJsonSerializer.java
index 96e08618b..97da59550 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/node/utils/NodeJsonSerializer.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/node/utils/NodeJsonSerializer.java
@@ -1,3 +1,28 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of LuckPerms, licensed under the MIT License.
+ *
+ *  Copyright (c) lucko (Luck) <luck@lucko.me>
+ *  Copyright (c) contributors
+ *
+ *  Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+ *  of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+ *  in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+ *  to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+ *  copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+ *  furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+ *
+ *  The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+ *  copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+ *
+ *  THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+ *  IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+ *  FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ *  AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+ *  LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+ *  OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+ *  SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
 package me.lucko.luckperms.common.node.utils;
 
 import com.google.gson.JsonArray;
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/storage/implementation/file/AbstractConfigurateStorage.java b/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/storage/implementation/file/AbstractConfigurateStorage.java
index 19c989cc2..be2154059 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/storage/implementation/file/AbstractConfigurateStorage.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/storage/implementation/file/AbstractConfigurateStorage.java
@@ -714,7 +714,12 @@ public abstract class AbstractConfigurateStorage implements StorageImplementatio
             }
         }
 
-        if (permissionsSection.hasListChildren()) {
+        if (permissionsSection.hasListChildren() || this instanceof CombinedConfigurateStorage) {
+            // ensure for CombinedConfigurateStorage that there's at least *something* to save to the file
+            // even if it's just an empty list.
+            if (!permissionsSection.hasListChildren()) {
+                permissionsSection.setValue(Collections.emptyList());
+            }
             to.getNode("permissions").setValue(permissionsSection);
         }
         if (parentsSection.hasListChildren()) {
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/storage/implementation/file/CombinedConfigurateStorage.java b/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/storage/implementation/file/CombinedConfigurateStorage.java
index 13b3e4660..8875b919f 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/storage/implementation/file/CombinedConfigurateStorage.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/me/lucko/luckperms/common/storage/implementation/file/CombinedConfigurateStorage.java
@@ -103,15 +103,13 @@ public class CombinedConfigurateStorage extends AbstractConfigurateStorage {
             this.lock.lock();
             try {
                 if (this.node == null || reload) {
-                    recordChange();
-                    this.node = this.loader.load();
+                    reload();
                 }
 
                 action.accept(this.node);
 
                 if (save) {
-                    recordChange();
-                    this.loader.save(this.node);
+                    save();
                 }
             } finally {
                 this.lock.unlock();