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..2e2921392a 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 +627,9 @@ final class JsonImporter {
                 }
                 
             ]
+            // Delete old sections
+            jsonObj.remove("sections")
+            // Add new sections
             jsonObj.addJsonObj("sections", sections)
         }