diff --git a/Content.Client/Lathe/LatheSystem.cs b/Content.Client/Lathe/LatheSystem.cs
index c0c3833a85..c72f01b39b 100644
--- a/Content.Client/Lathe/LatheSystem.cs
+++ b/Content.Client/Lathe/LatheSystem.cs
@@ -23,17 +23,20 @@ public sealed class LatheSystem : SharedLatheSystem
             return;
 
         if (_appearance.TryGetData<bool>(uid, PowerDeviceVisuals.Powered, out var powered, args.Component) &&
-            args.Sprite.LayerMapTryGet(PowerDeviceVisualLayers.Powered, out _))
+            args.Sprite.LayerMapTryGet(PowerDeviceVisualLayers.Powered, out var powerLayer))
         {
-            args.Sprite.LayerSetVisible(PowerDeviceVisualLayers.Powered, powered);
+            args.Sprite.LayerSetVisible(powerLayer, powered);
         }
 
         // Lathe specific stuff
-        if (_appearance.TryGetData<bool>(uid, LatheVisuals.IsRunning, out var isRunning, args.Component))
+        if (_appearance.TryGetData<bool>(uid, LatheVisuals.IsRunning, out var isRunning, args.Component) &&
+            args.Sprite.LayerMapTryGet(LatheVisualLayers.IsRunning, out var runningLayer) &&
+            component.RunningState != null &&
+            component.IdleState != null)
         {
             var state = isRunning ? component.RunningState : component.IdleState;
-            args.Sprite.LayerSetAnimationTime(LatheVisualLayers.IsRunning, 0f);
-            args.Sprite.LayerSetState(LatheVisualLayers.IsRunning, state);
+            args.Sprite.LayerSetAnimationTime(runningLayer, 0f);
+            args.Sprite.LayerSetState(runningLayer, state);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/Content.Shared/Lathe/LatheComponent.cs b/Content.Shared/Lathe/LatheComponent.cs
index e1110777dc..d4bf18b050 100644
--- a/Content.Shared/Lathe/LatheComponent.cs
+++ b/Content.Shared/Lathe/LatheComponent.cs
@@ -34,11 +34,11 @@ namespace Content.Shared.Lathe
         public SoundSpecifier? ProducingSound;
 
         #region Visualizer info
-        [DataField(required: true)]
-        public string IdleState = default!;
+        [DataField]
+        public string? IdleState;
 
-        [DataField(required: true)]
-        public string RunningState = default!;
+        [DataField]
+        public string? RunningState;
         #endregion
 
         /// <summary>