diff --git a/src/main/java/seedu/address/MainApp.java b/src/main/java/seedu/address/MainApp.java
index a5da39e19cab..76860b8c7a29 100644
--- a/src/main/java/seedu/address/MainApp.java
+++ b/src/main/java/seedu/address/MainApp.java
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 import seedu.address.model.StorageController;
 import seedu.address.model.UserPrefs;
 import seedu.address.model.student.StudentManager;
-import seedu.address.model.util.SampleDataUtil;
 import seedu.address.storage.AddressBookStorage;
 import seedu.address.storage.JsonUserPrefsStorage;
 import seedu.address.storage.Storage;
@@ -42,7 +41,7 @@
  */
 public class MainApp extends Application {
 
-    public static final Version VERSION = new Version(1, 2, 1, true);
+    public static final Version VERSION = new Version(1, 3, 0, true);
 
     private static final Logger logger = LogsCenter.getLogger(MainApp.class);
 
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@ private Model initModelManager(Storage storage, UserPrefs userPrefs) {
             if (!addressBookOptional.isPresent()) {
                 logger.info("Data file not found. Will be starting with a sample AddressBook");
             }
-            initialData = addressBookOptional.orElseGet(SampleDataUtil::getSampleAddressBook);
+            initialData = new AddressBook();
         } catch (DataConversionException e) {
             logger.warning("Data file not in the correct format. Will be starting with an empty AddressBook");
             initialData = new AddressBook();
diff --git a/src/main/java/seedu/address/model/StorageController.java b/src/main/java/seedu/address/model/StorageController.java
index ff79c33639e3..3a5abe535f36 100644
--- a/src/main/java/seedu/address/model/StorageController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/seedu/address/model/StorageController.java
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ public static void retrieveData() {
      * This method creates files for all datasets if they do not exist on the local filesystem.
      */
     private static void createFiles() {
+        new File(BASE_DIRECTORY).mkdirs();
         File classes = new File(storageClasses);
         File courses = new File(storageCourses);
         File modules = new File(storageModules);