diff --git a/homeassistant/components/emulated_hue/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/emulated_hue/__init__.py
index 315fc564999..ae0a26aaea4 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/emulated_hue/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/emulated_hue/__init__.py
@@ -193,7 +193,9 @@ class Config(object):
             if entity_id == ent_id:
                 return number
 
-        number = str(max(int(k) for k in self.numbers) + 1)
+        number = '1'
+        if self.numbers:
+            number = str(max(int(k) for k in self.numbers) + 1)
         self.numbers[number] = entity_id
         self._save_numbers_json()
         return number
diff --git a/tests/components/emulated_hue/test_init.py b/tests/components/emulated_hue/test_init.py
index 8c0a6dc4f60..2dcb9ecbf21 100755
--- a/tests/components/emulated_hue/test_init.py
+++ b/tests/components/emulated_hue/test_init.py
@@ -36,6 +36,65 @@ def test_config_google_home_entity_id_to_number():
         assert entity_id == 'light.test2'
 
 
+def test_config_google_home_entity_id_to_number_altered():
+    """Test config adheres to the type."""
+    conf = Config(Mock(), {
+        'type': 'google_home'
+    })
+
+    mop = mock_open(read_data=json.dumps({'21': 'light.test2'}))
+    handle = mop()
+
+    with patch('homeassistant.components.emulated_hue.open', mop, create=True):
+        number = conf.entity_id_to_number('light.test')
+        assert number == '22'
+        assert handle.write.call_count == 1
+        assert json.loads(handle.write.mock_calls[0][1][0]) == {
+            '21': 'light.test2',
+            '22': 'light.test',
+        }
+
+        number = conf.entity_id_to_number('light.test')
+        assert number == '22'
+        assert handle.write.call_count == 1
+
+        number = conf.entity_id_to_number('light.test2')
+        assert number == '21'
+        assert handle.write.call_count == 1
+
+        entity_id = conf.number_to_entity_id('21')
+        assert entity_id == 'light.test2'
+
+
+def test_config_google_home_entity_id_to_number_empty():
+    """Test config adheres to the type."""
+    conf = Config(Mock(), {
+        'type': 'google_home'
+    })
+
+    mop = mock_open(read_data='')
+    handle = mop()
+
+    with patch('homeassistant.components.emulated_hue.open', mop, create=True):
+        number = conf.entity_id_to_number('light.test')
+        assert number == '1'
+        assert handle.write.call_count == 1
+        assert json.loads(handle.write.mock_calls[0][1][0]) == {
+            '1': 'light.test',
+        }
+
+        number = conf.entity_id_to_number('light.test')
+        assert number == '1'
+        assert handle.write.call_count == 1
+
+        number = conf.entity_id_to_number('light.test2')
+        assert number == '2'
+        assert handle.write.call_count == 2
+
+        entity_id = conf.number_to_entity_id('2')
+        assert entity_id == 'light.test2'
+
+
 def test_config_alexa_entity_id_to_number():
     """Test config adheres to the type."""
     conf = Config(None, {