diff --git a/patches/server/Paper-config-files.patch b/patches/server/Paper-config-files.patch
index d7d4472b91..bb1246a752 100644
--- a/patches/server/Paper-config-files.patch
+++ b/patches/server/Paper-config-files.patch
@@ -1056,7 +1056,13 @@ index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..00000000000000000000000000000000
 +        // ADD FUTURE TRANSFORMS HERE (these transforms run after the defaults have been merged into the node)
 +        DEFAULT_AWARE_TRANSFORMATIONS.forEach(transform -> transform.apply(builder, contextMap, defaultsNode));
 +
-+        builder.build().apply(worldNode);
++        ConfigurationTransformation transformation;
++        try {
++            transformation = builder.build(); // build throws IAE if no actions were provided (bad zml)
++        } catch (IllegalArgumentException ignored) {
++            return;
++        }
++        transformation.apply(worldNode);
 +    }
 +
 +    @Override