diff --git a/src/main/java/de/bluecolored/bluenbt/TypeResolver.java b/src/main/java/de/bluecolored/bluenbt/TypeResolver.java
index c4b331d..479b655 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/bluecolored/bluenbt/TypeResolver.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/bluecolored/bluenbt/TypeResolver.java
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
  */
 package de.bluecolored.bluenbt;
 
+import java.io.IOException;
+
 public interface TypeResolver<T, B> {
 
     TypeToken<B> getBaseType();
@@ -32,4 +34,23 @@ public interface TypeResolver<T, B> {
 
     Iterable<TypeToken<? extends T>> getPossibleTypes();
 
+    /**
+     * Called when the raw type data could be read fine, but parsing it against the base type threw an exception.<br>
+     * Can be used to recover from errors with some default value.<br>
+     * Defaults to just rethrowing the exception.
+     */
+    default T onException(IOException parseException) throws IOException {
+        throw parseException;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Called when the raw type data could be read fine, the base type could also be parsed,
+     * but parsing it against the resolved type threw an exception.<br>
+     * Can be used to recover from errors with some default value.<br>
+     * Defaults to calling {@link #onException(IOException)}
+     */
+    default T onException(IOException parseException, B base) throws IOException {
+        return onException(parseException);
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/de/bluecolored/bluenbt/adapter/DefaultDeserializerFactory.java b/src/main/java/de/bluecolored/bluenbt/adapter/DefaultDeserializerFactory.java
index 4a55e0e..c8f3e5c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/bluecolored/bluenbt/adapter/DefaultDeserializerFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/bluecolored/bluenbt/adapter/DefaultDeserializerFactory.java
@@ -68,10 +68,16 @@ static class TypeResolvingAdapter<T> implements TypeDeserializer<T>  {
         public TypeResolvingAdapter(TypeToken<T> type, TypeResolver<T, ?> typeResolver,  BlueNBT blueNBT) {
             this.typeResolver = (TypeResolver<T, Object>) typeResolver;
             this.baseType = this.typeResolver.getBaseType();
-            this.baseDeserializer = new DefaultAdapter<>(baseType, blueNBT);
+            this.baseDeserializer = baseType.equals(type) ?
+                    new DefaultAdapter<>(baseType, blueNBT) :
+                    blueNBT.getTypeDeserializer(baseType);
             this.delegateDeserializers = new HashMap<>();
-            for (TypeToken<? extends T> resolved : typeResolver.getPossibleTypes())
-                delegateDeserializers.put(resolved, new DefaultAdapter<>(resolved, blueNBT));
+            for (TypeToken<? extends T> resolved : typeResolver.getPossibleTypes()) {
+                delegateDeserializers.put(resolved, resolved.equals(type) ?
+                        new DefaultAdapter<>(resolved, blueNBT) :
+                        blueNBT.getTypeDeserializer(resolved)
+                );
+            }
             this.fallbackDeserializer = new DefaultAdapter<>(type, blueNBT);
         }
 
@@ -81,20 +87,35 @@ public T read(NBTReader reader) throws IOException {
             // read next element as raw data
             byte[] data = reader.raw();
 
-            // parse data first into base object
-            Object base = baseDeserializer.read(new NBTReader(data));
+            try {
+
+                // parse data first into base object
+                Object base = baseDeserializer.read(new NBTReader(data));
+
+                try {
 
-            // resolve type
-            TypeToken<? extends T> resolvedType = typeResolver.resolve(base);
-            TypeDeserializer<? extends T> deserializer = delegateDeserializers.get(resolvedType);
-            if (deserializer == null) deserializer = fallbackDeserializer;
+                    // resolve type
+                    TypeToken<? extends T> resolvedType = typeResolver.resolve(base);
+                    TypeDeserializer<? extends T> deserializer = delegateDeserializers.get(resolvedType);
+                    if (deserializer == null) deserializer = fallbackDeserializer;
 
-            // shortcut if resolved type == base type
-            if (resolvedType.equals(baseType))
-                return (T) base;
+                    // shortcut if resolved type == base type
+                    if (resolvedType.equals(baseType))
+                        return (T) base;
 
-            // parse data into final type
-            return deserializer.read(new NBTReader(data));
+                    // parse data into final type
+                    return deserializer.read(new NBTReader(data));
+
+                } catch (IOException ex) {
+                    return typeResolver.onException(ex, base);
+                } catch (Exception ex) {
+                    return typeResolver.onException(new IOException(ex), base);
+                }
+            } catch (IOException ex) {
+                return typeResolver.onException(ex);
+            } catch (Exception ex) {
+                return typeResolver.onException(new IOException(ex));
+            }
         }
 
     }