diff --git a/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/oredict/OreDictionary.java b/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/oredict/OreDictionary.java
index e18053e0d..229351890 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/oredict/OreDictionary.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/minecraftforge/oredict/OreDictionary.java
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ import java.util.RandomAccess;
 import java.util.Map.Entry;
 import java.util.Set;
 
+import org.apache.logging.log4j.Level;
+
 import net.minecraft.block.Block;
 import net.minecraft.init.Blocks;
 import net.minecraft.init.Items;
@@ -28,6 +30,7 @@ import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
 import com.google.common.collect.Maps;
 
 import cpw.mods.fml.common.FMLLog;
+import cpw.mods.fml.common.Loader;
 import cpw.mods.fml.common.eventhandler.Event;
 import cpw.mods.fml.common.registry.GameData;
 
@@ -494,8 +497,22 @@ public class OreDictionary
         }
 
         int oreID = getOreID(name);
-	// HACK: use the registry name's ID. It is unique and it knows about substitutions
-        int hash = GameData.getItemRegistry().getId(ore.getItem().delegate.name());
+        // HACK: use the registry name's ID. It is unique and it knows about substitutions. Fallback to a -1 value (what Item.getIDForItem would have returned) in the case where the registry is not aware of the item yet
+        // IT should be noted that -1 will fail the gate further down, if an entry already exists with value -1 for this name. This is what is broken and being warned about.
+        // APPARENTLY it's quite common to do this. OreDictionary should be considered alongside Recipes - you can't make them properly until you've registered with the game.
+        String registryName = ore.getItem().delegate.name();
+        int hash;
+        if (registryName == null)
+        {
+            FMLLog.bigWarning("A broken ore dictionary registration with name %s has occurred. It adds an item (type: %s) which is currently unknown to the game registry. This dictionary item can only support a single value when"
+                    + " registered with ores like this, and NO I am not going to turn this spam off. Just register your ore dictionary entries after the GameRegistry.\n"
+                    + "TO USERS: YES this is a BUG in the mod "+Loader.instance().activeModContainer().getName()+" report it to them!", name, ore.getItem().getClass());
+            hash = -1;
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            hash = GameData.getItemRegistry().getId(registryName);
+        }
         if (ore.getItemDamage() != WILDCARD_VALUE)
         {
             hash |= ((ore.getItemDamage() + 1) << 16); // +1 so 0 is significant
@@ -539,8 +556,18 @@ public class OreDictionary
             if (ores == null) continue;
             for (ItemStack ore : ores)
             {
-		// HACK: use the registry name's ID. It is unique and it knows about substitutions
-                int hash = GameData.getItemRegistry().getId(ore.getItem().delegate.name());
+                // HACK: use the registry name's ID. It is unique and it knows about substitutions
+                String name = ore.getItem().delegate.name();
+                int hash;
+                if (name == null)
+                {
+                    FMLLog.log(Level.DEBUG, "Defaulting unregistered ore dictionary entry for ore dictionary %s: type %s to -1", getOreName(id), ore.getItem().getClass());
+                    hash = -1;
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    hash = GameData.getItemRegistry().getId(name);
+                }
                 if (ore.getItemDamage() != WILDCARD_VALUE)
                 {
                     hash |= ((ore.getItemDamage() + 1) << 16); // +1 so meta 0 is significant