diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/UserData.java b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/UserData.java
index 5e1892387c8..c7f1f90ca73 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/UserData.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/UserData.java
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 import org.bukkit.Material;
 import org.bukkit.entity.Player;
 import org.bukkit.inventory.ItemStack;
-import org.spongepowered.configurate.serialize.SerializationException;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.math.BigDecimal;
@@ -83,7 +82,7 @@ public final void reloadConfig() {
         config.load();
         try {
             holder = config.getRootNode().get(UserConfigHolder.class);
-        } catch (SerializationException e) {
+        } catch (Throwable e) {
             ess.getLogger().log(Level.SEVERE, "Error while reading user config: " + config.getFile().getName(), e);
             throw new RuntimeException(e);
         }
diff --git a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/config/serializers/MaterialTypeSerializer.java b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/config/serializers/MaterialTypeSerializer.java
index 50e23157293..3fb5c1a5c12 100644
--- a/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/config/serializers/MaterialTypeSerializer.java
+++ b/Essentials/src/main/java/com/earth2me/essentials/config/serializers/MaterialTypeSerializer.java
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ public Material deserialize(Type type, Object obj) throws SerializationException
         if (obj instanceof String) {
             return Material.matchMaterial((String) obj);
         }
-        return null;
+
+        // Configurate will use an EnumSet to deserialize, which doesn't support null types. Default to air.
+        return Material.AIR;
     }
 
     @Override