diff --git a/lib/edit/graphicsStore.js b/lib/edit/graphicsStore.js
index f4e83d4..eb25342 100644
--- a/lib/edit/graphicsStore.js
+++ b/lib/edit/graphicsStore.js
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ define(["esri/graphic"],function(Graphic)
 			var edit = {
 				operation: operation,
 				layer: layer,
-				graphic: this.serialize(graphic)
+				graphic: this._serialize(graphic)
 			}
 
 			var edits = this._retrieveEditsQueue();
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ define(["esri/graphic"],function(Graphic)
 
 		pendingEditsCount: function()
 		{
-			var storedValue = window.localStorage.getItem(this.EDITS_QUEUE_KEY) || "";
+			var storedValue = window.localStorage.getItem(EDITS_QUEUE_KEY) || "";
 
 			if( storedValue == "" )
 				return 0;	// fast easy case
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ define(["esri/graphic"],function(Graphic)
 
 		resetEditsQueue: function()
 		{
-			window.localStorage.setItem(this.EDITS_QUEUE_KEY, "");
+			window.localStorage.setItem(EDITS_QUEUE_KEY, "");
 		},
 
 		popFirstEdit: function()
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ define(["esri/graphic"],function(Graphic)
 
 		canUndoEdit: function()
 		{
-			var storedValue = window.localStorage.getItem(this.EDITS_QUEUE_KEY) || "";
+			var storedValue = window.localStorage.getItem(EDITS_QUEUE_KEY) || "";
 
 			return (storedValue != "");
 		},
@@ -76,10 +76,14 @@ define(["esri/graphic"],function(Graphic)
 
 		},
 
+		//
+		// internal methods
+		//
+
 		//
 		// graphic serialization/deserialization
 		//
-		serialize: function(graphic)
+		_serialize: function(graphic)
 		{
 			// keep only attributes and geometry, that are the values that get sent to the server by applyEdits() 
 			// see http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/arcgis-rest-api/index.html#/Apply_Edits_Feature_Service_Layer/02r3000000r6000000/
@@ -90,30 +94,25 @@ define(["esri/graphic"],function(Graphic)
 				attributes: json.attributes,
 				geometry: json.geometry
 			}
-			var str = JSON.stringify(jsonClean);
-			return str;
+			return jsonClean;
 		},
 
-		deserialize: function(str)
+		_deserialize: function(json)
 		{	
-			var json = JSON.parse(str);
 			var graphic = new Graphic(json);
 			return graphic;
 		},
 
-		//
-		// internal methods
-		//
 		_retrieveEditsQueue: function()
 		{
-			var storedValue = window.localStorage.getItem(this.EDITS_QUEUE_KEY) || "";
+			var storedValue = window.localStorage.getItem(EDITS_QUEUE_KEY) || "";
 			return this._unpackArrayOfEdits(storedValue);
 		},
 
 		_storeEditsQueue: function(edits)
 		{
 			var serializedEdits = this._packArrayOfEdits(edits);
-			window.localStorage.setItem(this.EDITS_QUEUE_KEY, serializedEdits);
+			window.localStorage.setItem(EDITS_QUEUE_KEY, serializedEdits);
 		},
 
 		_packArrayOfEdits: function(edits)
@@ -123,12 +122,15 @@ define(["esri/graphic"],function(Graphic)
 			{
 				serializedEdits.push( JSON.stringify(edit) );
 			});
-			return serializedEdits.join(this.SEPARATOR);
+			return serializedEdits.join(SEPARATOR);
 		},
 
 		_unpackArrayOfEdits: function(serializedEdits)
 		{
-			var edits = serializedEdits.split(this.SEPARATOR);
+			if( !serializedEdits )
+				return [];
+
+			var edits = serializedEdits.split(SEPARATOR);
 			return edits;
 		}
 
diff --git a/test/spec/graphicsStoreSpec.js b/test/spec/graphicsStoreSpec.js
index 87fc852..bc8e6a8 100644
--- a/test/spec/graphicsStoreSpec.js
+++ b/test/spec/graphicsStoreSpec.js
@@ -71,13 +71,13 @@ describe("Serialize/Deserialize Graphics", function()
 
 		it("serialize", function()
 		{
-			str = g_graphicsStore.serialize(g_test.pointFeature);
-			expect(typeof(str)).toBe("string");
+			str = g_graphicsStore._serialize(g_test.pointFeature);
+			expect(typeof(str)).toBe("object");
 		});
 
 		it("deserialize", function()
 		{
-			graphic = g_graphicsStore.deserialize(str);
+			graphic = g_graphicsStore._deserialize(str);
 			expect(typeof(graphic)).toBe("object");
 			expect(graphic.declaredClass).toEqual("esri.Graphic");
 		});
@@ -109,13 +109,13 @@ describe("Serialize/Deserialize Graphics", function()
 
 		it("serialize", function()
 		{
-			str = g_graphicsStore.serialize(g_test.lineFeature);
-			expect(typeof(str)).toBe("string");
+			str = g_graphicsStore._serialize(g_test.lineFeature);
+			expect(typeof(str)).toBe("object");
 		});
 
 		it("deserialize", function()
 		{
-			graphic = g_graphicsStore.deserialize(str);
+			graphic = g_graphicsStore._deserialize(str);
 			expect(typeof(graphic)).toBe("object");
 			expect(graphic.declaredClass).toEqual("esri.Graphic");
 		});
@@ -147,13 +147,13 @@ describe("Serialize/Deserialize Graphics", function()
 
 		it("serialize", function()
 		{
-			str = g_graphicsStore.serialize(g_test.polygonFeature);
-			expect(typeof(str)).toBe("string");
+			str = g_graphicsStore._serialize(g_test.polygonFeature);
+			expect(typeof(str)).toBe("object");
 		});
 
 		it("deserialize", function()
 		{
-			graphic = g_graphicsStore.deserialize(str);
+			graphic = g_graphicsStore._deserialize(str);
 			expect(typeof(graphic)).toBe("object");
 			expect(graphic.declaredClass).toEqual("esri.Graphic");
 		});
@@ -192,6 +192,10 @@ describe("Edit queue management", function()
 	{
 		g_graphicsStore.appendEdit(g_graphicsStore.ADD, 6, g_test.pointFeature);
 		expect(g_graphicsStore.pendingEditsCount()).toBe(1);
+		g_graphicsStore.appendEdit(g_graphicsStore.UPDATE, 6, g_test.polygonFeature);
+		expect(g_graphicsStore.pendingEditsCount()).toBe(2);
+		g_graphicsStore.appendEdit(g_graphicsStore.DELETE, 6, g_test.lineFeature);
+		expect(g_graphicsStore.pendingEditsCount()).toBe(3);
 	});
 
 	it("Pops edit from edits queue", function()