diff --git a/util/item/AEItemStack.java b/util/item/AEItemStack.java
index 6c7b1168..50a6d7a6 100644
--- a/util/item/AEItemStack.java
+++ b/util/item/AEItemStack.java
@@ -77,7 +77,9 @@ public final class AEItemStack extends AEStack<IAEItemStack> implements IAEItemS
 		def.dspDamage = is.getItemDamageForDisplay();
 		def.maxDamage = is.getMaxDamage();
 
-		def.tagCompound = (IAETagCompound) AESharedNBT.getSharedTagCompound( is );
+		NBTTagCompound tagCompound = is.getTagCompound();
+		if ( tagCompound != null )
+			def.tagCompound = (IAETagCompound) AESharedNBT.getSharedTagCompound( tagCompound, is );
 
 		stackSize = is.stackSize;
 		setCraftable( false );
@@ -88,12 +90,10 @@ public final class AEItemStack extends AEStack<IAEItemStack> implements IAEItemS
 
 	public static AEItemStack create(Object a)
 	{
-		if ( a == null )
-			return null;
-		if ( a instanceof IAEItemStack )
-			((IAEItemStack) a).copy();
 		if ( a instanceof ItemStack )
 			return new AEItemStack( (ItemStack) a );
+		if ( a instanceof IAEItemStack )
+			((IAEItemStack) a).copy();
 		return null;
 	}
 
diff --git a/util/item/AESharedNBT.java b/util/item/AESharedNBT.java
index f42f9308..a19e626a 100644
--- a/util/item/AESharedNBT.java
+++ b/util/item/AESharedNBT.java
@@ -129,11 +129,8 @@ public class AESharedNBT extends NBTTagCompound implements IAETagCompound
 	/*
 	 * Returns an NBT Compound that is used for accelerating comparisons.
 	 */
-	synchronized public static NBTTagCompound getSharedTagCompound(ItemStack s)
+	synchronized public static NBTTagCompound getSharedTagCompound(NBTTagCompound tagCompound, ItemStack s)
 	{
-		NBTTagCompound tagCompound = s.getTagCompound();
-		if ( tagCompound == null )
-			return null;
 		if ( tagCompound.hasNoTags() )
 			return null;
 
diff --git a/util/item/SharedSearchObject.java b/util/item/SharedSearchObject.java
index 0ee48e89..c203647b 100644
--- a/util/item/SharedSearchObject.java
+++ b/util/item/SharedSearchObject.java
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 package appeng.util.item;
 
-import appeng.util.Platform;
 import net.minecraft.nbt.NBTTagCompound;
+import appeng.util.Platform;
 
 public class SharedSearchObject
 {