diff --git a/plugins/org.eclipse.elk.graph.json/src/org/eclipse/elk/graph/json/JsonAdapter.xtend b/plugins/org.eclipse.elk.graph.json/src/org/eclipse/elk/graph/json/JsonAdapter.xtend
index dd2e145c5d..581a1a5876 100644
--- a/plugins/org.eclipse.elk.graph.json/src/org/eclipse/elk/graph/json/JsonAdapter.xtend
+++ b/plugins/org.eclipse.elk.graph.json/src/org/eclipse/elk/graph/json/JsonAdapter.xtend
@@ -186,6 +186,14 @@ final class JsonAdapter {
         }
     }
     
+    // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+    // Remove members from a json object
+    // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
+    
+    def void removeJsonObj(JsonObject o, String element) {
+        o.remove(element)
+    }
+    
     // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
     // Add to a json array
     // - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
diff --git a/plugins/org.eclipse.elk.graph.json/src/org/eclipse/elk/graph/json/JsonImporter.xtend b/plugins/org.eclipse.elk.graph.json/src/org/eclipse/elk/graph/json/JsonImporter.xtend
index 7990e0f7ff..94286d2f29 100644
--- a/plugins/org.eclipse.elk.graph.json/src/org/eclipse/elk/graph/json/JsonImporter.xtend
+++ b/plugins/org.eclipse.elk.graph.json/src/org/eclipse/elk/graph/json/JsonImporter.xtend
@@ -627,6 +627,7 @@ final class JsonImporter {
                 }
                 
             ]
+            jsonObj.removeJsonObj("sections")
             jsonObj.addJsonObj("sections", sections)
         }