diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d29fdbd..5e07828 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "ng2-md-datatable",
-  "version": "1.3.15",
+  "version": "1.3.16",
   "description": "Angular 2 DataTable component for using with Material 2",
   "main": "dist/ng2-md-datatable/ng2-md-datatable.umd.js",
   "module": "dist/ng2-md-datatable/index.js",
diff --git a/src/demo-app/package.json b/src/demo-app/package.json
index 17f2c4e..06291d4 100644
--- a/src/demo-app/package.json
+++ b/src/demo-app/package.json
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
     "core-js": "^2.4.1",
     "hammerjs": "^2.0.8",
     "lodash-es": "^4.17.4",
-    "ng2-md-datatable": "~1.3.10",
+    "ng2-md-datatable": "file:../../dist/ng2-md-datatable",
     "rxjs": "^5.0.0",
     "web-animations-js": "^2.2.5",
     "zone.js": "^0.8.5"
diff --git a/src/lib/md-datatable.component.ts b/src/lib/md-datatable.component.ts
index bec0e65..3c8e816 100644
--- a/src/lib/md-datatable.component.ts
+++ b/src/lib/md-datatable.component.ts
@@ -43,17 +43,21 @@ export class MdDataTableComponent extends BaseComponent implements AfterContentI
 
   @Input()
   set selectable(val: any) {
-    if (typeof(val) === 'boolean') {
+    if (typeof (val) === 'boolean') {
       this.isSelectable = val;
-    } else {
-       this.isSelectable = JSON.parse(val);
+    } else if (typeof (val) === 'string' && val.length > 0) {
+      try {
+        this.isSelectable = JSON.parse(val);
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.error(e);
+      }
     }
   }
 
   @Output() selectionChange: EventEmitter<IDatatableSelectionEvent> =
-    new EventEmitter<IDatatableSelectionEvent>(false);
+  new EventEmitter<IDatatableSelectionEvent>(false);
   @Output() sortChange: EventEmitter<IDatatableSortEvent> =
-    new EventEmitter<IDatatableSortEvent>(false);
+  new EventEmitter<IDatatableSortEvent>(false);
 
   @ContentChild(forwardRef(() => MdDataTableHeaderComponent)) headerCmp: MdDataTableHeaderComponent;
   @ContentChildren(MdDataTableRowComponent) rowsCmp: QueryList<MdDataTableRowComponent>;