diff --git a/src/main/java/com/raoulvdberge/refinedstorage/api/autocrafting/ICraftingPatternContainer.java b/src/main/java/com/raoulvdberge/refinedstorage/api/autocrafting/ICraftingPatternContainer.java
index 0d4330b89..488bd1bb9 100755
--- a/src/main/java/com/raoulvdberge/refinedstorage/api/autocrafting/ICraftingPatternContainer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/raoulvdberge/refinedstorage/api/autocrafting/ICraftingPatternContainer.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import net.minecraft.util.math.BlockPos;
 import net.minecraftforge.items.IItemHandler;
 import net.minecraftforge.items.IItemHandlerModifiable;
 
+import javax.annotation.Nullable;
 import java.util.List;
 
 /**
@@ -32,8 +33,9 @@ public interface ICraftingPatternContainer {
     List<ICraftingPattern> getPatterns();
 
     /**
-     * @return the pattern inventory
+     * @return the pattern inventory, or null if no pattern is present
      */
+    @Nullable
     IItemHandlerModifiable getPatternInventory();
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/raoulvdberge/refinedstorage/apiimpl/autocrafting/CraftingManager.java b/src/main/java/com/raoulvdberge/refinedstorage/apiimpl/autocrafting/CraftingManager.java
index 575770dae..345769489 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/raoulvdberge/refinedstorage/apiimpl/autocrafting/CraftingManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/raoulvdberge/refinedstorage/apiimpl/autocrafting/CraftingManager.java
@@ -302,11 +302,11 @@ public class CraftingManager implements ICraftingManager {
 
                 patterns.addAll(container.getPatterns());
 
-                if (!containerInventories.containsKey(container.getName())) {
-                    containerInventories.put(container.getName(), new ArrayList<>());
-                }
+                IItemHandlerModifiable handler = container.getPatternInventory();
 
-                containerInventories.get(container.getName()).add(container.getPatternInventory());
+                if (handler != null) {
+                    containerInventories.computeIfAbsent(container.getName(), k -> new ArrayList<>()).add(handler);
+                }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/raoulvdberge/refinedstorage/apiimpl/network/node/NetworkNodeCrafter.java b/src/main/java/com/raoulvdberge/refinedstorage/apiimpl/network/node/NetworkNodeCrafter.java
index 96b9f8523..b3378e855 100755
--- a/src/main/java/com/raoulvdberge/refinedstorage/apiimpl/network/node/NetworkNodeCrafter.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/raoulvdberge/refinedstorage/apiimpl/network/node/NetworkNodeCrafter.java
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@ public class NetworkNodeCrafter extends NetworkNode implements ICraftingPatternC
     }
 
     @Override
+    @Nullable
     public IItemHandlerModifiable getPatternInventory() {
         return patterns;
     }