diff --git a/src/BtTreeModel.cpp b/src/BtTreeModel.cpp
index d71da82c8..92d194ea5 100644
--- a/src/BtTreeModel.cpp
+++ b/src/BtTreeModel.cpp
@@ -838,7 +838,8 @@ void BtTreeModel::copySelected(QList< QPair<QModelIndex, QString> > toBeCopied)
          case BtTreeItem::FERMENTABLE:
             Fermentable *copyFerm, *oldFerm;
             oldFerm = fermentable(ndx);
-            copyFerm = Database::instance().newFermentable(oldFerm); // Create a deep copy.
+            // Create a deep copy with a new inventory row
+            copyFerm = Database::instance().newFermentable(oldFerm,true); 
             if ( copyFerm )
                copyFerm->setName(name);
             else
@@ -847,7 +848,8 @@ void BtTreeModel::copySelected(QList< QPair<QModelIndex, QString> > toBeCopied)
          case BtTreeItem::HOP:
             Hop *copyHop,  *oldHop;
             oldHop = hop(ndx);
-            copyHop = Database::instance().newHop(oldHop); // Create a deep copy.
+            // Create a deep copy with a new inventory row
+            copyHop = Database::instance().newHop(oldHop,true); 
             if ( copyHop )
                copyHop->setName(name);
             else
@@ -856,7 +858,8 @@ void BtTreeModel::copySelected(QList< QPair<QModelIndex, QString> > toBeCopied)
          case BtTreeItem::MISC:
             Misc *copyMisc, *oldMisc;
             oldMisc = misc(ndx);
-            copyMisc = Database::instance().newMisc(oldMisc); // Create a deep copy.
+            // Create a deep copy with a new inventory row
+            copyMisc = Database::instance().newMisc(oldMisc,true);
             if ( copyMisc )
                copyMisc->setName(name);
             else
@@ -883,7 +886,8 @@ void BtTreeModel::copySelected(QList< QPair<QModelIndex, QString> > toBeCopied)
          case BtTreeItem::YEAST:
             Yeast *copyYeast, *oldYeast;
             oldYeast = yeast(ndx);
-            copyYeast = Database::instance().newYeast(oldYeast); // Create a deep copy.
+            // Create a deep copy with a new inventory row
+            copyYeast = Database::instance().newYeast(oldYeast,true);
             if ( copyYeast )
                copyYeast->setName(name);
             else
diff --git a/src/database.cpp b/src/database.cpp
index b1c38c33a..5cb7a74db 100644
--- a/src/database.cpp
+++ b/src/database.cpp
@@ -1479,35 +1479,33 @@ Equipment* Database::newEquipment(Equipment* other)
    return tmp;
 }
 
-Fermentable* Database::newFermentable(Fermentable* other)
+Fermentable* Database::newFermentable(Fermentable* other, bool add_inventory)
 {
    Fermentable* tmp;
-   bool transact = false;
+   add_inventory = add_inventory || other == nullptr;
 
+   sqlDatabase().transaction();
    try {
-      // copies automatically get their inventory_id properly set
-      if (other) {
+      if (other != nullptr) {
          tmp = copy(other, &allFermentables);
       }
       else {
-         // new ingredients don't. this gets ugly fast, because we are now
-         // writing to two tables and need some transactional protection
-         sqlDatabase().transaction();
-         transact = true;
          tmp = newNamedEntity(&allFermentables);
+      }
+
+      if ( add_inventory ) {
          int invkey = newInventory( dbDefn->table(Brewtarget::FERMTABLE));
          tmp->setInventoryId(invkey);
       }
    }
    catch (QString e) {
       qCritical() << QString("%1 %2").arg(Q_FUNC_INFO).arg(e);
-      if ( transact ) sqlDatabase().rollback();
-      throw;
+      sqlDatabase().rollback();
+      abort();
    }
 
-   if ( transact ) {
-      sqlDatabase().commit();
-   }
+   sqlDatabase().commit();
+
    if ( tmp ) {
       emit changed( metaProperty("fermentables"), QVariant() );
       emit newFermentableSignal(tmp);
@@ -1519,32 +1517,30 @@ Fermentable* Database::newFermentable(Fermentable* other)
    return tmp;
 }
 
-Hop* Database::newHop(Hop* other)
+Hop* Database::newHop(Hop* other, bool add_inventory )
 {
    Hop* tmp;
-   bool transact = false;
+   add_inventory = add_inventory || other == nullptr;
 
+   sqlDatabase().transaction();
    try {
-      if ( other ) {
+      if ( other != nullptr )
          tmp = copy(other, &allHops);
-      }
-      else {
-         sqlDatabase().transaction();
-         transact = true;
+      else
          tmp = newNamedEntity(&allHops);
+
+      if ( add_inventory ) {
          int invkey = newInventory( dbDefn->table(Brewtarget::HOPTABLE));
          tmp->setInventoryId(invkey);
       }
    }
    catch (QString e) {
       qCritical() << QString("%1 %2").arg(Q_FUNC_INFO).arg(e);
-      if ( transact ) sqlDatabase().rollback();
-      throw;
+      sqlDatabase().rollback();
+      abort();
    }
 
-   if ( transact ) {
-      sqlDatabase().commit();
-   }
+   sqlDatabase().commit();
 
    if ( tmp ) {
       emit changed( metaProperty("hops"), QVariant() );
@@ -1743,32 +1739,32 @@ MashStep* Database::newMashStep(Mash* mash, bool connected)
    return tmp;
 }
 
-Misc* Database::newMisc(Misc* other)
+Misc* Database::newMisc(Misc* other, bool add_inventory)
 {
    Misc* tmp;
-   bool transact = false;
+   add_inventory = add_inventory || other == nullptr;
 
+   sqlDatabase().transaction();
    try {
-      if ( other ) {
+      if ( other != nullptr ) {
         tmp = copy(other, &allMiscs);
       }
       else {
-         sqlDatabase().transaction();
-         transact = true;
          tmp = newNamedEntity(&allMiscs);
+      }
+
+      if ( add_inventory ) {
          int invkey = newInventory( dbDefn->table(Brewtarget::MISCTABLE));
          tmp->setInventoryId(invkey);
       }
    }
    catch (QString e) {
       qCritical() << QString("%1 %2").arg(Q_FUNC_INFO).arg(e);
-      if ( transact ) sqlDatabase().rollback();
-      throw;
+      sqlDatabase().rollback();
+      abort();
    }
 
-   if ( transact ) {
-      sqlDatabase().commit();
-   }
+   sqlDatabase().commit();
 
    if ( tmp ) {
       emit changed( metaProperty("miscs"), QVariant() );
@@ -1949,19 +1945,21 @@ Salt* Database::newSalt(Salt* other)
    return tmp;
 }
 
-Yeast* Database::newYeast(Yeast* other)
+Yeast* Database::newYeast(Yeast* other, bool add_inventory)
 {
    Yeast* tmp;
-   bool transact = false;
+   add_inventory = add_inventory || other == nullptr;
 
+   sqlDatabase().transaction();
    try {
-      if (other) {
+      if (other != nullptr) {
          tmp = copy(other, &allYeasts);
       }
       else {
-         sqlDatabase().transaction();
-         transact = true;
          tmp = newNamedEntity(&allYeasts);
+      }
+
+      if (add_inventory) {
          int invkey = newInventory( dbDefn->table(Brewtarget::YEASTTABLE));
          tmp->setInventoryId(invkey);
       }
@@ -1972,11 +1970,17 @@ Yeast* Database::newYeast(Yeast* other)
       throw;
    }
 
-   if ( transact ) {
-      sqlDatabase().commit();
+   sqlDatabase().commit();
+
+   if ( tmp ) {
+      emit changed( metaProperty("yeasts"), QVariant() );
+      emit newYeastSignal(tmp);
+   }
+   else {
+      qCritical() << QString("%1 could not %2 yeast")
+            .arg(Q_FUNC_INFO)
+            .arg( other ? "copy" : "create");
    }
-   emit changed( metaProperty("yeasts"), QVariant() );
-   emit newYeastSignal(tmp);
 
    return tmp;
 }
diff --git a/src/database.h b/src/database.h
index b2b4dd508..d7b23c1a0 100644
--- a/src/database.h
+++ b/src/database.h
@@ -217,20 +217,20 @@ class Database : public QObject
    //! \returns a copy of the given note.
    BrewNote* newBrewNote(BrewNote* other, bool signal = true);
    Equipment* newEquipment(Equipment* other = nullptr);
-   Fermentable* newFermentable(Fermentable* other = nullptr);
-   Hop* newHop(Hop* other = nullptr);
+   Fermentable* newFermentable(Fermentable* other = nullptr, bool add_inventory = false);
+   Hop* newHop(Hop* other = nullptr, bool add_inventory = false);
    //! \returns a copy of the given recipe.
    Recipe* newRecipe(Recipe* other);
    /*! \returns a copy of the given mash. Displaces the mash currently in the
     * parent recipe unless \b displace is false.
     */
-   Misc* newMisc(Misc* other = nullptr);
+   Misc* newMisc(Misc* other = nullptr, bool add_inventory = false);
 
    Style* newStyle(Style* other);
    Style* newStyle(QString name);
    Water* newWater(Water* other = nullptr);
    Salt* newSalt(Salt* other = nullptr);
-   Yeast* newYeast(Yeast* other = nullptr);
+   Yeast* newYeast(Yeast* other = nullptr, bool add_inventory = false);
 
    int    insertElement(NamedEntity* ins);
    int    insertEquipment(Equipment* ins);