diff --git a/source/nodejs/adaptivecards-site/themes/adaptivecards/layout/designer.ejs b/source/nodejs/adaptivecards-site/themes/adaptivecards/layout/designer.ejs
index 7aa684a421..cff33b82d1 100644
--- a/source/nodejs/adaptivecards-site/themes/adaptivecards/layout/designer.ejs
+++ b/source/nodejs/adaptivecards-site/themes/adaptivecards/layout/designer.ejs
@@ -144,27 +144,34 @@
 			designer.attachTo(document.getElementById("designerRootHost"));
 			designer.monacoModuleLoaded();
 
-			var cardUrl = getParameterByName("card", null);
-			var dataUrl = getParameterByName("data", null);
-
-			if (dataUrl) {
-				var dataXhttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
-				dataXhttp.onload = function () {
-					if (dataXhttp.responseText && dataXhttp.responseText != "") {
-						var sampleData = JSON.parse(dataXhttp.responseText);
-						designer.sampleData = sampleData;
-					}
-				};
-
-				// TODO: when the designer has an addError API we should log that we failed to load the requested card
-				// xhttp.onerror = function() {
-				// 	designer.
-				// };
+			var cardParam = getParameterByName("card", null);
+			var dataParam = getParameterByName("data", null);
 
+			if (dataParam) {
 				try {
-					dataXhttp.open("GET", dataUrl, true);
+					var dataUrl = new URL(dataParam);
+					var dataXhttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
+					dataXhttp.onload = function () {
+						if (dataXhttp.responseText && dataXhttp.responseText != "") {
+							var sampleData = JSON.parse(dataXhttp.responseText);
+							designer.sampleData = sampleData;
+						}
+					};
+
+					// TODO: when the designer has an addError API we should log that we failed to load the requested card
+					// xhttp.onerror = function() {
+					// 	designer.
+					// };
+
+					dataXhttp.open("GET", dataParam, true);
 					dataXhttp.send();
 				} catch (e) {
+					// Check if the data is a valid JSON
+					try {
+						var sampleData = JSON.parse(dataParam);
+						designer.sampleData = sampleData;
+					} catch (e) {
+					}
 				}
 			} else {
 				// Add sample data
@@ -188,25 +195,31 @@
 				designer.sampleData = sampleData;
 			}
 
-			if (cardUrl) {
-				var cardXhttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
-				cardXhttp.onload = function () {
-					if (cardXhttp.responseText && cardXhttp.responseText != "") {
-						designer.setCard(JSON.parse(cardXhttp.responseText));
-					}
-
-					history.replaceState(null, null, "<%- config.root %>designer");
-				};
-
-				// TODO: when the designer has an addError API we should log that we failed to load the requested card
-				// xhttp.onerror = function() {
-				// 	designer.
-				// };
-
-				try {
-					cardXhttp.open("GET", cardUrl, true);
+			if (cardParam) {
+				try{
+					var cardUrl = new URL(cardParam);
+					var cardXhttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
+					cardXhttp.onload = function () {
+						if (cardXhttp.responseText && cardXhttp.responseText != "") {
+							designer.setCard(JSON.parse(cardXhttp.responseText));
+						}
+						
+						history.replaceState(null, null, "<%- config.root %>designer");
+					};
+					
+					// TODO: when the designer has an addError API we should log that we failed to load the requested card
+					// xhttp.onerror = function() {
+					// 	designer.
+					// };
+
+					cardXhttp.open("GET", cardParam, true);
 					cardXhttp.send();
 				} catch (e) {
+					// Check if the card is a valid JSON
+					try {
+						designer.setCard(JSON.parse(cardParam));
+					} catch (e) {
+					}
 				}
 			} else {
 				designer.setCard({