diff --git a/src/item.cpp b/src/item.cpp
index acf767eff3fbf..e6608093e6e6d 100644
--- a/src/item.cpp
+++ b/src/item.cpp
@@ -7367,14 +7367,13 @@ const use_function *item::get_use_internal( const std::string &use_name ) const
 
 item *item::get_usable_item( const std::string &use_name )
 {
-    if( type != nullptr && type->get_use( use_name ) != nullptr ) {
-        return this;
-    }
-
     item *ret = nullptr;
-    contents.visit_contents(
-    [&ret, &use_name]( item * it, item * ) {
-        if( it->get_use( use_name ) != nullptr ) {
+    visit_items(
+    [&ret, &use_name]( item * it ) {
+        if( it == nullptr ) {
+            return VisitResponse::SKIP;
+        }
+        if( it->get_use_internal( use_name ) ) {
             ret = it;
             return VisitResponse::ABORT;
         }
diff --git a/src/item_action.cpp b/src/item_action.cpp
index d08479dc598be..d5b4d72a22ef3 100644
--- a/src/item_action.cpp
+++ b/src/item_action.cpp
@@ -273,7 +273,11 @@ void game::item_action_menu()
         }
 
         const auto method = elem.second->get_use( elem.first );
-        return std::make_tuple( method->get_type(), method->get_name(), ss );
+        if( method ) {
+            return std::make_tuple( method->get_type(), method->get_name(), ss );
+        } else {
+            return std::make_tuple( errstring, std::string( "NO USE FUNCTION" ), ss );
+        }
     } );
     // Sort mapped actions.
     sort_menu( menu_items.begin(), menu_items.end() );