diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/LineMaterialColumnParser.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/LineMaterialColumnParser.java
index 009619c53..4e4bc6835 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/LineMaterialColumnParser.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/LineMaterialColumnParser.java
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 package net.sf.openrocket.preset.loader;
 
-import java.util.Collections;
-import java.util.Map;
-
 import net.sf.openrocket.material.Material;
 import net.sf.openrocket.preset.TypedKey;
 import net.sf.openrocket.preset.TypedPropertyMap;
@@ -29,8 +26,8 @@ public class LineMaterialColumnParser extends BaseColumnParser {
 		
 		Material.Line myMaterial = new Material.Line(columnData, 0.0, true);
 
-		myMaterial = materialMap.getLineMaterial(myMaterial);
-		props.put(param, myMaterial);
+		Material.Line m = materialMap.getLineMaterial(myMaterial);
+		props.put(param, m!=null? m : myMaterial);
 
 	}
 
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/MaterialColumnParser.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/MaterialColumnParser.java
index 76bd57228..74a6679e1 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/MaterialColumnParser.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/MaterialColumnParser.java
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 package net.sf.openrocket.preset.loader;
 
-import java.util.Collections;
-import java.util.Map;
-
 import net.sf.openrocket.material.Material;
 import net.sf.openrocket.preset.ComponentPreset;
 import net.sf.openrocket.preset.TypedKey;
@@ -32,9 +29,9 @@ public class MaterialColumnParser extends BaseColumnParser {
 			return;
 		}
 		
-		Material.Bulk m = new Material.Bulk(columnData, 0.0, true);
-		m = materialMap.getBulkMaterial(m);
-		props.put(param, m);
+		Material.Bulk tmpMaterial = new Material.Bulk(columnData, 0.0, true);
+		Material.Bulk m = materialMap.getBulkMaterial(tmpMaterial);
+		props.put(param, m!= null ? m : tmpMaterial);
 		
 	}
 
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/MaterialHolder.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/MaterialHolder.java
index 1e0f1ed21..52d5a9316 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/MaterialHolder.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/MaterialHolder.java
@@ -31,9 +31,22 @@ public class MaterialHolder {
 		}
 	}
 
+	public Material getMaterial ( Material material ) {
+		switch ( material.getType() ) {
+		case BULK:
+			return getBulkMaterial( (Material.Bulk)material );
+		case SURFACE:
+			return getSurfaceMaterial( (Material.Surface) material, null );
+		case LINE:
+			return getLineMaterial( (Material.Line) material );
+		default:
+			return null;
+		}
+	}
+
 	public Material.Bulk getBulkMaterial( Material.Bulk material ) {
 		Material.Bulk m = bulkMaterials.get( material.getName() );
-		return (m==null) ? material : m;
+		return m;
 	}
 
 	public Material.Surface getSurfaceMaterial( Material.Surface material, Double thickness ) {
@@ -44,7 +57,7 @@ public class MaterialHolder {
 		// Try to see if we can convert a bulk material.
 		if ( thickness == null ) {
 			// if we have no thickness, there is nothing we can do
-			return material;
+			return null;
 		}
 		String thicknessName = UnitGroup.UNITS_LENGTH.getUnit("mm").toString(thickness);
 		String convertedMaterialName = material.getName() + "(" + thicknessName + ")";
@@ -55,7 +68,7 @@ public class MaterialHolder {
 		Material.Bulk bulk = bulkMaterials.get(material.getName() );
 
 		if ( bulk == null ) {
-			return material;
+			return null;
 		}
 
 		// Ok, now we have a thickness and a bulk material of the correct name,
@@ -71,7 +84,7 @@ public class MaterialHolder {
 
 	public Material.Line getLineMaterial( Material.Line material ) {
 		Material.Line m = lineMaterials.get( material.getName() );
-		return (m==null) ? material : m;
+		return m;
 	}
 
 	public int size() {
@@ -89,19 +102,19 @@ public class MaterialHolder {
 
 	}
 
-    public Database<Material> asDatabase(Material.Type theType) {
-        Database<Material> result = new Database<Material>();
-        switch (theType) {
-            case LINE:
-                result.addAll(lineMaterials.values());
-                break;
-            case SURFACE:
-                result.addAll(surfaceMaterials.values());
-                break;
-            case BULK:
-            default:
-                result.addAll(bulkMaterials.values());
-        }
-        return result;
-    }
+	public Database<Material> asDatabase(Material.Type theType) {
+		Database<Material> result = new Database<Material>();
+		switch (theType) {
+		case LINE:
+			result.addAll(lineMaterials.values());
+			break;
+		case SURFACE:
+			result.addAll(surfaceMaterials.values());
+			break;
+		case BULK:
+		default:
+			result.addAll(bulkMaterials.values());
+		}
+		return result;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/ParachuteLoader.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/ParachuteLoader.java
index ea132f98e..4f53e40ee 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/ParachuteLoader.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/ParachuteLoader.java
@@ -42,10 +42,10 @@ public class ParachuteLoader extends BaseComponentLoader {
 
 		// Fix the material since some files use bulk materials for streamers.
 		Double thickness = props.get( ComponentPreset.THICKNESS );
-		Material.Surface material = (Material.Surface) props.get( ComponentPreset.MATERIAL );
+		Material.Surface myMaterial = (Material.Surface) props.get( ComponentPreset.MATERIAL );
 
-		material = materials.getSurfaceMaterial(material, thickness);
-		props.put(ComponentPreset.MATERIAL, material);
+		Material.Surface m = materials.getSurfaceMaterial(myMaterial, thickness);
+		props.put(ComponentPreset.MATERIAL, m!=null ? m : myMaterial);
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/StreamerLoader.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/StreamerLoader.java
index 652b2d42f..403ea0f6e 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/StreamerLoader.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/StreamerLoader.java
@@ -49,11 +49,11 @@ public class StreamerLoader extends BaseComponentLoader {
 
 		// Fix the material since some files use bulk materials for streamers.
 		Double thickness = props.get( ComponentPreset.THICKNESS );
-		Material.Surface material = (Material.Surface) props.get( ComponentPreset.MATERIAL );
+		Material.Surface myMaterial = (Material.Surface) props.get( ComponentPreset.MATERIAL );
 
-		material = materials.getSurfaceMaterial(material, thickness);
+		Material.Surface m = materials.getSurfaceMaterial(myMaterial, thickness);
 
-		props.put(ComponentPreset.MATERIAL, material);
+		props.put(ComponentPreset.MATERIAL, m!=null? m : myMaterial);
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/SurfaceMaterialColumnParser.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/SurfaceMaterialColumnParser.java
index 2dad9f0a8..b761e9b2a 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/SurfaceMaterialColumnParser.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/preset/loader/SurfaceMaterialColumnParser.java
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ public class SurfaceMaterialColumnParser extends BaseColumnParser {
 		}
 		
 		Material.Surface myMaterial = new Material.Surface(columnData, 0.0, true);
-		myMaterial = materialMap.getSurfaceMaterial(myMaterial, null);
-		props.put(param, myMaterial);
+		Material.Surface m = materialMap.getSurfaceMaterial(myMaterial, null);
+		props.put(param, m!=null ? m : myMaterial);
 
 	}