diff --git a/Essentials/src/net/ess3/settings/antibuild/Alert.java b/Essentials/src/net/ess3/settings/antibuild/Alert.java
index ec4aac252..d13ea4530 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/net/ess3/settings/antibuild/Alert.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/net/ess3/settings/antibuild/Alert.java
@@ -22,53 +22,62 @@ public class Alert implements StorageObject
 	@ListType(Material.class)
 	@Getter(AccessLevel.NONE)
 	@Setter(AccessLevel.NONE)
-	private Set<Material> alertOnPlacement = null;
-	@Comment("For which block types would you like to be alerted when used?")	
+	private Set<Material> alertOnPlacement = new HashSet<Material>();
+	;
+	@Comment("For which block types would you like to be alerted when used?")
 	@ListType(Material.class)
 	@Getter(AccessLevel.NONE)
 	@Setter(AccessLevel.NONE)
-	private Set<Material> alertOnUse = null;
+	private Set<Material> alertOnUse = new HashSet<Material>();
+	;
 	@Comment("For which block types would you like to be alerted when broken?")
 	@ListType(Material.class)
 	@Getter(AccessLevel.NONE)
 	@Setter(AccessLevel.NONE)
-	private Set<Material> alertOnBreak = null;
+	private Set<Material> alertOnBreak = new HashSet<Material>();
+
+	;
 	public Alert()
 	{
-		if (alertOnPlacement == null)
+		if (alertOnPlacement.isEmpty())
 		{
 			Material[] mat =
 			{
 				Material.LAVA, Material.STATIONARY_LAVA, Material.TNT, Material.LAVA_BUCKET
 			};
-			alertOnPlacement = new HashSet<Material>();
 			alertOnPlacement.addAll(Arrays.asList(mat));
 		}
-		
-		if (alertOnUse == null)
-		{			
-			alertOnUse = new HashSet<Material>();
+
+		if (alertOnUse.isEmpty())
+		{
 			alertOnUse.add(Material.LAVA_BUCKET);
 		}
-		
+	}
+
+	public boolean getAlertOnPlacement(Material mat)
+	{
+		if (alertOnPlacement == null)
+		{
+			return false;
+		}
+		return alertOnPlacement.contains(mat);
+	}
+
+	public boolean getAlertOnUse(Material mat)
+	{
+		if (alertOnUse == null)
+		{
+			return false;
+		}
+		return alertOnUse.contains(mat);
+	}
+
+	public boolean getAlertOnBreak(Material mat)
+	{
 		if (alertOnBreak == null)
 		{
-			alertOnBreak = new HashSet<Material>();
+			return false;
 		}
-	}
-	
-	public Set<Material> getAlertOnPlacement()
-	{
-		return alertOnPlacement;
-	}
-	
-	public Set<Material> getAlertOnUse()
-	{
-		return alertOnUse;
-	}
-	
-	public Set<Material> getAlertOnBreak()
-	{
-		return alertOnBreak;
+		return alertOnBreak.contains(mat);
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Essentials/src/net/ess3/settings/antibuild/BlackList.java b/Essentials/src/net/ess3/settings/antibuild/BlackList.java
index 1d91af2ae..395314a12 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/net/ess3/settings/antibuild/BlackList.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/net/ess3/settings/antibuild/BlackList.java
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public class BlackList implements StorageObject
 	@ListType(Material.class)
 	@Getter(AccessLevel.NONE)
 	@Setter(AccessLevel.NONE)
-	private Set<Material> placement;
+	private Set<Material> placement = new HashSet<Material>();
 	@Comment(
 	{
 		"Which items should people be prevented from using"
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public class BlackList implements StorageObject
 	@ListType(Material.class)
 	@Getter(AccessLevel.NONE)
 	@Setter(AccessLevel.NONE)
-	private Set<Material> usage;
+	private Set<Material> usage = new HashSet<Material>();
 	@Comment(
 	{
 		"Which blocks should people be prevented from breaking"
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public class BlackList implements StorageObject
 	@ListType(Material.class)
 	@Getter(AccessLevel.NONE)
 	@Setter(AccessLevel.NONE)
-	private Set<Material> breaking;
+	private Set<Material> breaking = new HashSet<Material>();
 	@Comment(
 	{
 		"Which blocks should not be pushed by pistons"
@@ -49,56 +49,60 @@ public class BlackList implements StorageObject
 	@ListType(Material.class)
 	@Getter(AccessLevel.NONE)
 	@Setter(AccessLevel.NONE)
-	private Set<Material> piston;
+	private Set<Material> piston = new HashSet<Material>();
 	
 	public BlackList()
 	{
-		if (placement == null)
+		if(placement.isEmpty())
 		{
 			Material[] mat =
 			{
 				Material.LAVA, Material.STATIONARY_LAVA, Material.TNT, Material.LAVA_BUCKET
 			};
-			placement = new HashSet<Material>();
+			
 			placement.addAll(Arrays.asList(mat));
 		}
 		
-		if (usage == null)
+		
+		if (usage.isEmpty())
 		{
-			usage = new HashSet<Material>();
 			usage.add(Material.LAVA_BUCKET);
-		}
-		
-		if (breaking == null)
+		}			
+	}
+	
+	public boolean getPlacement(Material mat)
+	{
+		if(placement == null)
 		{
-			breaking = new HashSet<Material>();
+		return false;
 		}
-		
-		if (piston == null)
+		return placement.contains(mat);
+	}
+	
+	public boolean getUsage(Material mat)
+	{
+		if(usage == null)
 		{
-			piston = new HashSet<Material>();
+			return false;
 		}
-		
-		
+		return usage.contains(mat);
 	}
 	
-	public Set<Material> getPlacement()
+	public boolean getBreaking(Material mat)
 	{
-		return placement;
+		if(breaking == null)
+		{
+			return false;
+		}
+		return breaking.contains(mat);
 	}
 	
-	public Set<Material> getUsage()
+	public boolean getPiston(Material mat)
 	{
-		return usage;
-	}
-	
-	public Set<Material> getBreaking()
-	{
-		return breaking;
-	}
-	
-	public Set<Material> getPiston()
-	{
-		return piston;
+		if(piston == null)
+		{
+			return false;
+		}
+		return piston.contains(mat);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/EssentialsAntiBuild/src/net/ess3/antibuild/EssentialsAntiBuildListener.java b/EssentialsAntiBuild/src/net/ess3/antibuild/EssentialsAntiBuildListener.java
index ad6c0a5d0..e07fa9616 100644
--- a/EssentialsAntiBuild/src/net/ess3/antibuild/EssentialsAntiBuildListener.java
+++ b/EssentialsAntiBuild/src/net/ess3/antibuild/EssentialsAntiBuildListener.java
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public class EssentialsAntiBuildListener implements Listener
 				return;
 			}
 
-			if (antib.getSettings().getData().getBlacklist().getPlacement().contains(type) && !Permissions.BLACKLIST_ALLOWPLACEMENT.isAuthorized(user))			
+			if (antib.getSettings().getData().getBlacklist().getPlacement(type) && !Permissions.BLACKLIST_ALLOWPLACEMENT.isAuthorized(user))			
 			{
 				if (antib.getSettings().getData().isWarnOnBuildDisallow())
 				{
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public class EssentialsAntiBuildListener implements Listener
 				return;
 			}
 
-			if (antib.getSettings().getData().getAlert().getAlertOnPlacement().contains(type)
+			if (antib.getSettings().getData().getAlert().getAlertOnPlacement(type)
 				&& !Permissions.ALERTS_NOTRIGGER.isAuthorized(user))
 			{
 				antib.getEssentialsConnect().alert(user, type.toString(), _("alertPlaced"));
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ public class EssentialsAntiBuildListener implements Listener
 				return;
 			}
 
-			if (antib.getSettings().getData().getBlacklist().getBreaking().contains(type) && !Permissions.BLACKLIST_ALLOWBREAK.isAuthorized(user))	
+			if (antib.getSettings().getData().getBlacklist().getBreaking(type) && !Permissions.BLACKLIST_ALLOWBREAK.isAuthorized(user))	
 			{
 				if (antib.getSettings().getData().isWarnOnBuildDisallow())
 				{
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ public class EssentialsAntiBuildListener implements Listener
 				return;
 			}
 
-			if (antib.getSettings().getData().getAlert().getAlertOnBreak().contains(type)
+			if (antib.getSettings().getData().getAlert().getAlertOnBreak(type)
 				&& !Permissions.ALERTS_NOTRIGGER.isAuthorized(user))
 			{
 				antib.getEssentialsConnect().alert(user, type.toString(), _("alertBroke"));
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ public class EssentialsAntiBuildListener implements Listener
 	{
 		for (Block block : event.getBlocks())
 		{
-			if (antib.getSettings().getData().getBlacklist().getPiston().contains(block.getType()))
+			if (antib.getSettings().getData().getBlacklist().getPiston(block.getType()))
 			{
 				event.setCancelled(true);
 				return;
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ public class EssentialsAntiBuildListener implements Listener
 			return;
 		}
 		final Block block = event.getRetractLocation().getBlock();
-		if (antib.getSettings().getData().getBlacklist().getPiston().contains(block.getType()))
+		if (antib.getSettings().getData().getBlacklist().getPiston(block.getType()))
 		{
 			event.setCancelled(true);
 		}
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ public class EssentialsAntiBuildListener implements Listener
 		final ItemStack item = event.getItem();
 
 		if (item != null
-			&& antib.getSettings().getData().getBlacklist().getUsage().contains(item.getType())
+			&& antib.getSettings().getData().getBlacklist().getUsage(item.getType())
 			&& !Permissions.BLACKLIST_ALLOWUSAGE.isAuthorized(user))
 		{
 			if (antib.getSettings().getData().isWarnOnBuildDisallow())
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ public class EssentialsAntiBuildListener implements Listener
 		}
 
 		if (item != null
-			&& antib.getSettings().getData().getAlert().getAlertOnUse().contains(item.getType())
+			&& antib.getSettings().getData().getAlert().getAlertOnUse(item.getType())
 			&& !Permissions.ALERTS_NOTRIGGER.isAuthorized(user))
 		{
 			antib.getEssentialsConnect().alert(user, item.getType().toString(), _("alertUsed"));