diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/data_stores/json.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/data_stores/json.py
index 60a85982a..87e108d92 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/data_stores/json.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/data_stores/json.py
@@ -27,15 +27,17 @@ def _data_store_exists_at_location(location: str, identifier: str) -> bool:
     return FileSystemService.file_exists_at_relative_path(location, _data_store_filename(identifier))
 
 
-def _data_store_location_for_task(spiff_task: SpiffTask, identifier: str) -> str | None:
+def _data_store_location_for_task(spiff_task: SpiffTask, identifier: str, check_disk: bool) -> str | None:
     location = _process_model_location_for_task(spiff_task)
     if location is None:
         return None
     if _data_store_exists_at_location(location, identifier):
         return location
     location = ReferenceCacheService.upsearch(location, identifier, "data_store")
-    # if location is None or not _data_store_exists_at_location(location, identifier):
-    #    return None
+    if location is None
+        return None
+    if check_disk and not _data_store_exists_at_location(location, identifier):
+        return None
     return location
 
 
@@ -76,7 +78,7 @@ def build_response_item(model: Any) -> dict[str, Any]:
     def get(self, my_task: SpiffTask) -> None:
         """get."""
         model: JSONDataStoreModel | None = None
-        location = _data_store_location_for_task(my_task, self.bpmn_id)
+        location = _data_store_location_for_task(my_task, self.bpmn_id, False)
         if location is not None:
             model = db.session.query(JSONDataStoreModel).filter_by(identifier=self.bpmn_id, location=location).first()
         if model is None:
@@ -85,10 +87,13 @@ def get(self, my_task: SpiffTask) -> None:
 
     def set(self, my_task: SpiffTask) -> None:
         """set."""
-        location = _data_store_location_for_task(my_task, self.bpmn_id)
+        location = _data_store_location_for_task(my_task, self.bpmn_id, False)
         if location is None:
             raise Exception(f"Unable to write to data store '{self.bpmn_id}' using location '{location}'.")
         data = my_task.data[self.bpmn_id]
+
+        # TODO: validate data against schema
+        
         model = JSONDataStoreModel(
             identifier=self.bpmn_id,
             location=location,
@@ -127,7 +132,7 @@ class JSONFileDataStore(BpmnDataStoreSpecification):  # type: ignore
 
     def get(self, my_task: SpiffTask) -> None:
         """get."""
-        location = _data_store_location_for_task(my_task, self.bpmn_id)
+        location = _data_store_location_for_task(my_task, self.bpmn_id, True)
         if location is None:
             raise Exception(f"Unable to read from data store '{self.bpmn_id}' using location '{location}'.")
         contents = FileSystemService.contents_of_json_file_at_relative_path(location, _data_store_filename(self.bpmn_id))
@@ -135,7 +140,7 @@ def get(self, my_task: SpiffTask) -> None:
 
     def set(self, my_task: SpiffTask) -> None:
         """set."""
-        location = _data_store_location_for_task(my_task, self.bpmn_id)
+        location = _data_store_location_for_task(my_task, self.bpmn_id, True)
         if location is None:
             raise Exception(f"Unable to write to data store '{self.bpmn_id}' using location '{location}'.")
         data = my_task.data[self.bpmn_id]