diff --git a/VortexEngine/src/Patterns/Pattern.cpp b/VortexEngine/src/Patterns/Pattern.cpp
index 768a9966f2..bcdf645fc9 100644
--- a/VortexEngine/src/Patterns/Pattern.cpp
+++ b/VortexEngine/src/Patterns/Pattern.cpp
@@ -90,10 +90,8 @@ bool Pattern::unserialize(ByteStream &buffer)
   // start with the default args for this pattern
   PatternArgs args = PatternBuilder::getDefaultArgs(m_patternID);
   // then unserialize any different args overtop of the defaults
-  if (args.unserialize(buffer) != ARG_NONE) {
-    // if any args were unserialized, set them
-    setArgs(args);
-  }
+  args.unserialize(buffer);
+  setArgs(args);
   return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/VortexEngine/src/Patterns/PatternArgs.h b/VortexEngine/src/Patterns/PatternArgs.h
index f195c1916c..67759ad682 100644
--- a/VortexEngine/src/Patterns/PatternArgs.h
+++ b/VortexEngine/src/Patterns/PatternArgs.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ typedef uint8_t ArgMap;
 // some helpers to set/clear/check
 #define ARGMAP_SET(map, arg)    (map |= ARG(arg))
 #define ARGMAP_CLEAR(map, arg)  (map &= ~ARG(arg))
-#define ARGMAP_ISSET(map, arg)  (map & ARG(arg))
+#define ARGMAP_ISSET(map, arg)  ((map & ARG(arg)) != 0)
 
 // a structured method for passing arguments to patterns, there's definitely more dynamic
 // ways to approach this but I'm aiming for simple and lightweight here
diff --git a/VortexEngine/src/Patterns/PatternBuilder.cpp b/VortexEngine/src/Patterns/PatternBuilder.cpp
index 3468945ed0..2d965664b7 100644
--- a/VortexEngine/src/Patterns/PatternBuilder.cpp
+++ b/VortexEngine/src/Patterns/PatternBuilder.cpp
@@ -44,9 +44,11 @@ Pattern *PatternBuilder::make(PatternID id, const PatternArgs *args)
     DEBUG_LOGF("Invalid pattern id: %u", id);
     id = PATTERN_FIRST;
   }
+#if VORTEX_SLIM == 0
   if (isMultiLedPatternID(id)) {
     return makeMulti(id, args);
   }
+#endif
   return makeSingle(id, args);
 }