diff --git a/code/modules/mob/living/silicon/robot/robot_simple_items.dm b/code/modules/mob/living/silicon/robot/robot_simple_items.dm
index e9282ed2497..6888de5db1b 100644
--- a/code/modules/mob/living/silicon/robot/robot_simple_items.dm
+++ b/code/modules/mob/living/silicon/robot/robot_simple_items.dm
@@ -543,10 +543,13 @@
 //This is used to check if the gripper is currently being used.
 //If it is, we don't allow any other actions to be performed.
 /obj/item/gripper/proc/is_in_use()
-	if(wrapped)
+	if(wrapped && !QDELETED(wrapped))
 		if(istype(wrapped.loc, /obj/item/storage/internal/gripper))
 			return FALSE //We are in a gripper storage or another gripper, so we are not in use.
 		return TRUE
+	else if(QDELETED(wrapped)) //Failsafe.
+		wrapped = null
+		return FALSE //Default to 'we are not in use'
 
 //This is the code that updates our pockets and decides if they should have icons or not.
 //This should be called every time we use the gripper and our wrapped item is used up.
diff --git a/code/modules/research/protolathe.dm b/code/modules/research/protolathe.dm
index 9fa17721169..c56b2885a10 100644
--- a/code/modules/research/protolathe.dm
+++ b/code/modules/research/protolathe.dm
@@ -112,6 +112,13 @@
 	if(busy)
 		to_chat(user, span_notice("\The [src] is busy. Please wait for completion of previous operation."))
 		return 1
+	if(isrobot(user)) //snowflake gripper BS because it can't be done in get_active_hand without breaking everything
+		var/mob/living/silicon/robot/robot = user
+		if(istype(robot.module_active, /obj/item/gripper))
+			var/obj/item/gripper/gripper = robot.module_active
+			O = gripper.get_current_pocket()
+			gripper.wrapped = null
+			gripper.current_pocket = pick(gripper.pockets)
 	if(default_deconstruction_screwdriver(user, O))
 		if(linked_console)
 			linked_console.linked_lathe = null
@@ -123,8 +130,6 @@
 		return
 	if(O.is_open_container())
 		return 1
-	if(istype(O, /obj/item/gripper/no_use/loader))
-		return 0		//Sheet loaders weren't finishing attack(), this prevents the message "You can't stuff that gripper into this" without preventing the rest of the attack sequence from finishing
 	if(panel_open)
 		to_chat(user, span_notice("You can't load \the [src] while it's opened."))
 		return 1