diff --git a/api/logic/InstanceList.cpp b/api/logic/InstanceList.cpp
index 9bdcc113..2c1e9e06 100644
--- a/api/logic/InstanceList.cpp
+++ b/api/logic/InstanceList.cpp
@@ -159,7 +159,10 @@ InstanceList::InstListError InstanceList::loadList(bool complete)
 			else
 			{
 				InstancePtr instPtr = provider->loadInstance(id);
-				newList.append(instPtr);
+				if(instPtr)
+				{
+					newList.append(instPtr);
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	};
diff --git a/api/logic/minecraft/ftb/FTBInstanceProvider.cpp b/api/logic/minecraft/ftb/FTBInstanceProvider.cpp
index a583c039..1321ea1b 100644
--- a/api/logic/minecraft/ftb/FTBInstanceProvider.cpp
+++ b/api/logic/minecraft/ftb/FTBInstanceProvider.cpp
@@ -236,15 +236,6 @@ InstancePtr FTBInstanceProvider::createInstance(const FTBRecord & record) const
 
 	qDebug() << "Converting " << record.name << " as new.";
 
-	auto mcVersion = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<MinecraftVersion>(ENV.getVersion("net.minecraft", record.mcVersion));
-	if (!mcVersion)
-	{
-		qCritical() << "Can't load instance " << record.instanceDir
-					<< " because minecraft version " << record.mcVersion
-					<< " can't be resolved.";
-		return nullptr;
-	}
-
 	if (!rootDir.exists() && !rootDir.mkpath("."))
 	{
 		qCritical() << "Can't create instance folder" << record.instanceDir;
@@ -254,7 +245,9 @@ InstancePtr FTBInstanceProvider::createInstance(const FTBRecord & record) const
 	auto m_settings = std::make_shared<INISettingsObject>(FS::PathCombine(record.instanceDir, "instance.cfg"));
 	m_settings->registerSetting("InstanceType", "Legacy");
 
-	if (mcVersion->usesLegacyLauncher())
+	// all legacy versions are built in. therefore we can do this even if we don't have ALL the versions Mojang has on their servers.
+	auto mcVersion = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<MinecraftVersion>(ENV.getVersion("net.minecraft", record.mcVersion));
+	if (mcVersion && mcVersion->usesLegacyLauncher())
 	{
 		m_settings->set("InstanceType", "LegacyFTB");
 		inst.reset(new LegacyFTBInstance(m_globalSettings, m_settings, record.instanceDir));
@@ -264,10 +257,11 @@ InstancePtr FTBInstanceProvider::createInstance(const FTBRecord & record) const
 		m_settings->set("InstanceType", "OneSixFTB");
 		inst.reset(new OneSixFTBInstance(m_globalSettings, m_settings, record.instanceDir));
 	}
+
 	// initialize
 	{
 		SettingsObject::Lock lock(inst->settings());
-		inst->setIntendedVersionId(mcVersion->descriptor());
+		inst->setIntendedVersionId(record.mcVersion);
 		inst->init();
 		inst->setGroupInitial("FTB");
 		inst->setName(record.name);
diff --git a/application/MultiMC.cpp b/application/MultiMC.cpp
index 334c51fc..2cc934f1 100644
--- a/application/MultiMC.cpp
+++ b/application/MultiMC.cpp
@@ -258,6 +258,8 @@ MultiMC::MultiMC(int &argc, char **argv) : QApplication(argc, argv)
 
 	initIcons();
 	initThemes();
+	// make sure we have at least some minecraft versions before we init instances
+	minecraftlist();
 	initInstances();
 	initAccounts();
 	initNetwork();