diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FlightConfiguration.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FlightConfiguration.java
index 9d9bd6a72..2ae0211fa 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FlightConfiguration.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/FlightConfiguration.java
@@ -549,21 +549,14 @@ public class FlightConfiguration implements FlightConfigurableParameter<FlightCo
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Return true if a rocket has a configured Recovery Device
+	 * Return true if rocket has a RecoveryDevice
 	 */
 	public boolean hasRecoveryDevice() {
-		Rocket rkt = this.getRocket();
-		RocketComponent nextComponent = rkt.getNextComponent();
+	  if (fcid.hasError()) {
+	    return false;
+	  }
 
-		while(nextComponent != null) {
-			if(nextComponent instanceof RecoveryDevice) {
-				return true;
-			}
-			
-			nextComponent = nextComponent.getNextComponent();
-		}
-		
-		return false;
+	  return this.getRocket().hasRecoveryDevice();
 	}
 
 	///////////////  Helper methods  ///////////////
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/RocketComponent.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/RocketComponent.java
index 8697363ed..f03862f0a 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/RocketComponent.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/RocketComponent.java
@@ -427,6 +427,19 @@ public abstract class RocketComponent implements ChangeSource, Cloneable, Iterab
 		}
 	}
 	
+	/**
+	 * Return true if any of this component's children are a RecoveryDevice
+	 */
+	public boolean hasRecoveryDevice() {
+	  Iterator<RocketComponent> iterator = this.iterator();
+	  while (iterator.hasNext()) {
+	    RocketComponent child = iterator.next();
+	    if (child instanceof RecoveryDevice) {
+	      return true;
+	    }
+	  }
+	  return false;
+	}
 	
 	//////////////  Methods that may not be overridden  ////////////