diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/document/Simulation.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/document/Simulation.java
index da2bcd383..85a2ad7db 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/document/Simulation.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/document/Simulation.java
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 package net.sf.openrocket.document;
 
-import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.EventListener;
 import java.util.EventObject;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -13,7 +12,6 @@ import net.sf.openrocket.aerodynamics.BarrowmanCalculator;
 import net.sf.openrocket.aerodynamics.WarningSet;
 import net.sf.openrocket.formatting.RocketDescriptor;
 import net.sf.openrocket.masscalc.MassCalculator;
-import net.sf.openrocket.motor.MotorConfiguration;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.FlightConfiguration;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.FlightConfigurationId;
 import net.sf.openrocket.rocketcomponent.Rocket;
@@ -147,6 +145,10 @@ public class Simulation implements ChangeSource, Cloneable {
 		this.name = name;
 		
 		this.options = options;
+
+		FlightConfigurationId fcid = rocket.getSelectedConfiguration().getFlightConfigurationID();
+		options.setFlightConfigurationId(fcid);
+		
 		options.addChangeListener(new ConditionListener());
 		
 		if (extensions != null) {
@@ -280,6 +282,13 @@ public class Simulation implements ChangeSource, Cloneable {
 				status = Status.OUTDATED;
 			}
 		}
+
+		// if the id hasn't been set yet, skip.
+		if ( options.getId().hasError() ){
+			log.warn(" simulationOptions lacks a valid id. Skipping.");
+			status = Status.CANT_RUN;
+			return status;
+		}
 		
 		FlightConfiguration config = rocket.getFlightConfiguration(options.getId());
 				
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/Rocket.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/Rocket.java
index 272cbb8ab..620abb3a8 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/Rocket.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/rocketcomponent/Rocket.java
@@ -568,7 +568,9 @@ public class Rocket extends RocketComponent {
 	
 	public FlightConfiguration createFlightConfiguration( final FlightConfigurationId fcid) {
 		checkState();
-		if( fcid.hasError() ){
+		if( null == fcid ){
+			throw new NullPointerException("Attempted to create a flightConfiguration from a null key!");
+		}else if( fcid.hasError() ){
 			throw new NullPointerException("Attempted to create a flightConfiguration from an error key!");
 		}else if( configSet.containsKey(fcid)){
 			return this.configSet.get(fcid);
@@ -815,6 +817,7 @@ public class Rocket extends RocketComponent {
 		StringBuilder buf = new StringBuilder();
 		buf.append(String.format("====== Dumping %d Configurations from rocket: \n", this.getConfigurationCount(), this.getName()));
 		final String fmt = "    [%-12s]: %s\n";
+		buf.append(String.format(fmt, "  *SELECTED* ", selectedConfiguration.getName() ));
 		for( FlightConfiguration config : this.configSet.values() ){
 			String shortKey = config.getId().toShortKey();
 			if( this.selectedConfiguration.equals( config)){
diff --git a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/simulation/SimulationOptions.java b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/simulation/SimulationOptions.java
index 562df836c..fd2eabd5f 100644
--- a/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/simulation/SimulationOptions.java
+++ b/core/src/net/sf/openrocket/simulation/SimulationOptions.java
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public class SimulationOptions implements ChangeSource, Cloneable {
 	protected final Preferences preferences = Application.getPreferences();
 	
 	private final Rocket rocket;
-	private FlightConfigurationId configId = new FlightConfigurationId(); 
+	private FlightConfigurationId configId = FlightConfigurationId.ERROR_FCID; 
 	
 	/*
 	 * NOTE:  When adding/modifying parameters, they must also be added to the
@@ -439,7 +439,6 @@ public class SimulationOptions implements ChangeSource, Cloneable {
 		if (this.rocket == src.rocket) {
 			this.configId = src.configId;
 		} else {
-			
 			if (src.rocket.hasMotors(src.configId)) {
 				// First check for exact match:
 				if (this.rocket.containsFlightConfigurationID(src.configId)) {
@@ -462,7 +461,7 @@ public class SimulationOptions implements ChangeSource, Cloneable {
 					this.configId = matchID;
 				}
 			} else {
-				this.configId = null;
+				this.configId = FlightConfigurationId.ERROR_FCID;
 			}
 		}
 		
@@ -588,7 +587,7 @@ public class SimulationOptions implements ChangeSource, Cloneable {
 	 */
 	@Override
 	public int hashCode() {
-		if (configId == null)
+		if (configId.hasError())
 			return rocket.hashCode();
 		return rocket.hashCode() + configId.hashCode();
 	}
diff --git a/core/test/net/sf/openrocket/optimization/rocketoptimization/TestRocketOptimizationFunction.java b/core/test/net/sf/openrocket/optimization/rocketoptimization/TestRocketOptimizationFunction.java
index 608788a3e..b067c6c97 100644
--- a/core/test/net/sf/openrocket/optimization/rocketoptimization/TestRocketOptimizationFunction.java
+++ b/core/test/net/sf/openrocket/optimization/rocketoptimization/TestRocketOptimizationFunction.java
@@ -3,6 +3,15 @@ package net.sf.openrocket.optimization.rocketoptimization;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+
+import org.jmock.Expectations;
+import org.jmock.Mockery;
+import org.jmock.auto.Mock;
+import org.jmock.integration.junit4.JMock;
+import org.jmock.integration.junit4.JUnit4Mockery;
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+
 import net.sf.openrocket.document.Simulation;
 import net.sf.openrocket.optimization.general.OptimizationException;
 import net.sf.openrocket.optimization.general.Point;
@@ -13,14 +22,6 @@ import net.sf.openrocket.unit.Value;
 import net.sf.openrocket.util.Pair;
 import net.sf.openrocket.util.BaseTestCase.BaseTestCase;
 
-import org.jmock.Expectations;
-import org.jmock.Mockery;
-import org.jmock.auto.Mock;
-import org.jmock.integration.junit4.JMock;
-import org.jmock.integration.junit4.JUnit4Mockery;
-import org.junit.Test;
-import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
-
 
 @RunWith(JMock.class)
 public class TestRocketOptimizationFunction extends BaseTestCase {
@@ -222,12 +223,13 @@ public class TestRocketOptimizationFunction extends BaseTestCase {
 	
 	
 	@Test
-	public void testNewSimulationInstance() {
+	public void testNewSimulationNames() {
 		final Rocket rocket = new Rocket();
 		rocket.setName("Foobar");
 		final Simulation simulation = new Simulation(rocket);
 		simulation.setName("MySim");
 		
+
 		RocketOptimizationFunction function = new RocketOptimizationFunction(simulation,
 				parameter, goal, domain, modifier1, modifier2);