diff --git a/quartz/components/scripts/explorer.inline.ts b/quartz/components/scripts/explorer.inline.ts
index 9c8341169..a8a5065a9 100644
--- a/quartz/components/scripts/explorer.inline.ts
+++ b/quartz/components/scripts/explorer.inline.ts
@@ -74,9 +74,6 @@ function toggleFolder(evt: MouseEvent) {
       collapsed: isCollapsed,
     })
   }
-
-  const stringifiedFileTree = JSON.stringify(currentExplorerState)
-  localStorage.setItem("fileTree", stringifiedFileTree)
 }
 
 function createFileNode(currentSlug: FullSlug, node: FileTrieNode): HTMLLIElement {
@@ -165,8 +162,8 @@ async function setupExplorer(currentSlug: FullSlug) {
       mapFn: new Function("return " + (dataFns.mapFn || "undefined"))(),
     }
 
-    // Get folder state from local storage
-    const storageTree = localStorage.getItem("fileTree")
+    // Get folder state from session storage
+    const storageTree = sessionStorage.getItem("fileTree")
     const serializedExplorerState = storageTree && opts.useSavedState ? JSON.parse(storageTree) : []
     const oldIndex = new Map<string, boolean>(
       serializedExplorerState.map((entry: FolderState) => [entry.path, entry.collapsed]),
@@ -263,6 +260,9 @@ document.addEventListener("prenav", async () => {
   const explorer = document.querySelector(".explorer-ul")
   if (!explorer) return
   sessionStorage.setItem("explorerScrollTop", explorer.scrollTop.toString())
+  if (!currentExplorerState) return
+  const stringifiedFileTree = JSON.stringify(currentExplorerState)
+  sessionStorage.setItem("fileTree", stringifiedFileTree)
 })
 
 document.addEventListener("nav", async (e: CustomEventMap["nav"]) => {