diff --git a/src/main/java/gregtech/api/pipenet/tile/TileEntityPipeBase.java b/src/main/java/gregtech/api/pipenet/tile/TileEntityPipeBase.java
index 3756849a3e7..8cce454941e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/gregtech/api/pipenet/tile/TileEntityPipeBase.java
+++ b/src/main/java/gregtech/api/pipenet/tile/TileEntityPipeBase.java
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ public void setFaceBlocked(EnumFacing side, boolean blocked) {
 
     @Override
     public boolean isFaceBlocked(EnumFacing side) {
+        if (side == null) return true; // says hey, you can't insert from nowhere
         return isFaceBlocked(blockedConnections, side);
     }