diff --git a/code/game/machinery/machinery.dm b/code/game/machinery/machinery.dm
index 4251a0e6067..34df1ca124e 100644
--- a/code/game/machinery/machinery.dm
+++ b/code/game/machinery/machinery.dm
@@ -214,8 +214,8 @@ Class Procs:
 /obj/machinery/CanUseTopic(var/mob/user)
 	if(!interact_offline && (stat & (NOPOWER | BROKEN)))
 		return STATUS_CLOSE
-
-	return ..()
+	// return ..()		// This doesn't call the parent with the correct number of arguments (causing a runtime in /code/modules/nano/interaction/base.dm), nor easily provide any indication as to what the datum/topic_state should be, so this is clearly the wrong action.
+	return STATUS_INTERACTIVE
 
 /obj/machinery/CouldUseTopic(var/mob/user)
 	..()