diff --git a/src/main/java/com/simibubi/create/content/redstone/link/controller/LecternControllerBlockEntity.java b/src/main/java/com/simibubi/create/content/redstone/link/controller/LecternControllerBlockEntity.java
index 9760e97fc5..99c0b1cb0b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/simibubi/create/content/redstone/link/controller/LecternControllerBlockEntity.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/simibubi/create/content/redstone/link/controller/LecternControllerBlockEntity.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.UUID;
 
+import com.simibubi.create.AllItems;
 import com.simibubi.create.AllSoundEvents;
 import com.simibubi.create.foundation.blockEntity.SmartBlockEntity;
 import com.simibubi.create.foundation.blockEntity.behaviour.BlockEntityBehaviour;
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@
 
 public class LecternControllerBlockEntity extends SmartBlockEntity {
 
-	private ItemStack controller = ItemStack.EMPTY;
+	private CompoundTag controllerNbt = new CompoundTag();
 	private UUID user;
 	private UUID prevUser;	// used only on client
 	private boolean deactivatedThisTick;	// used only on server
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ public void addBehaviours(List<BlockEntityBehaviour> behaviours) { }
 	@Override
 	protected void write(CompoundTag compound, boolean clientPacket) {
 		super.write(compound, clientPacket);
-		compound.put("Controller", controller.save(new CompoundTag()));
+		compound.put("ControllerData", controllerNbt);
 		if (user != null)
 			compound.putUUID("User", user);
 	}
@@ -51,18 +52,25 @@ protected void write(CompoundTag compound, boolean clientPacket) {
 	@Override
 	public void writeSafe(CompoundTag compound) {
 		super.writeSafe(compound);
-		compound.put("Controller", controller.save(new CompoundTag()));
+		compound.put("ControllerData", controllerNbt);
 	}
 
 	@Override
 	protected void read(CompoundTag compound, boolean clientPacket) {
 		super.read(compound, clientPacket);
-		controller = ItemStack.of(compound.getCompound("Controller"));
+
+		// Migrate old data if that is found
+		if (compound.contains("Controller")) {
+			controllerNbt = ItemStack.of(compound.getCompound("Controller")).getTag();
+		} else {
+			controllerNbt = compound.getCompound("ControllerData");
+		}
+
 		user = compound.hasUUID("User") ? compound.getUUID("User") : null;
 	}
 
 	public ItemStack getController() {
-		return controller;
+		return getController();
 	}
 
 	public boolean hasUser() { return user != null; }
@@ -138,7 +146,7 @@ private void tryToggleActive() {
 	}
 
 	public void setController(ItemStack newController) {
-		controller = newController;
+		controllerNbt = newController.getTag();
 		if (newController != null) {
 			AllSoundEvents.CONTROLLER_PUT.playOnServer(level, worldPosition);
 		}
@@ -148,7 +156,7 @@ public void swapControllers(ItemStack stack, Player player, InteractionHand hand
 		ItemStack newController = stack.copy();
 		stack.setCount(0);
 		if (player.getItemInHand(hand).isEmpty()) {
-			player.setItemInHand(hand, controller);
+			player.setItemInHand(hand, createLinkedController());
 		} else {
 			dropController(state);
 		}
@@ -164,10 +172,10 @@ public void dropController(BlockState state) {
 		double x = worldPosition.getX() + 0.5 + 0.25 * dir.getStepX();
 		double y = worldPosition.getY() + 1;
 		double z = worldPosition.getZ() + 0.5 + 0.25 * dir.getStepZ();
-		ItemEntity itementity = new ItemEntity(level, x, y, z, controller.copy());
+		ItemEntity itementity = new ItemEntity(level, x, y, z, createLinkedController());
 		itementity.setDefaultPickUpDelay();
 		level.addFreshEntity(itementity);
-		controller = null;
+		controllerNbt = new CompoundTag();
 	}
 
 	public static boolean playerInRange(Player player, Level world, BlockPos pos) {
@@ -176,4 +184,10 @@ public static boolean playerInRange(Player player, Level world, BlockPos pos) {
 		return player.distanceToSqr(Vec3.atCenterOf(pos)) < reach * reach;
 	}
 
+	private ItemStack createLinkedController() {
+		ItemStack stack = AllItems.LINKED_CONTROLLER.asStack();
+		stack.setTag(controllerNbt);
+		return stack;
+	}
+
 }