diff --git a/src/main/java/baritone/bot/behavior/impl/PathingBehavior.java b/src/main/java/baritone/bot/behavior/impl/PathingBehavior.java
index ac49a2dd..27f4f251 100644
--- a/src/main/java/baritone/bot/behavior/impl/PathingBehavior.java
+++ b/src/main/java/baritone/bot/behavior/impl/PathingBehavior.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import org.lwjgl.opengl.GL11;
 
 import java.awt.*;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Optional;
 
 public class PathingBehavior extends Behavior {
 
@@ -55,11 +56,8 @@ public class PathingBehavior extends Behavior {
         return current;
     }
 
-    public IPath getPath() {
-        if (current == null) {
-            return null;
-        }
-        return current.getPath();
+    public Optional<IPath> getPath() {
+        return Optional.ofNullable(current).map(PathExecutor::getPath);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -92,10 +90,7 @@ public class PathingBehavior extends Behavior {
             }
 
             try {
-                IPath path = findPath(start);
-                if (path != null) {
-                    current = new PathExecutor(path);
-                }
+                findPath(start).map(PathExecutor::new).ifPresent(path -> current = path);
             } catch (Exception ignored) {}
             /*isThereAnythingInProgress = false;
             if (!currentPath.goal.isInGoal(currentPath.end)) {
@@ -115,18 +110,17 @@ public class PathingBehavior extends Behavior {
      * @param start
      * @return
      */
-    private IPath findPath(BlockPos start) {
+    private Optional<IPath> findPath(BlockPos start) {
         if (goal == null) {
             displayChatMessageRaw("no goal");
-            return null;
+            return Optional.empty();
         }
         try {
             IPathFinder pf = new AStarPathFinder(start, goal);
-            IPath path = pf.calculate();
-            return path;
+            return pf.calculate();
         } catch (Exception e) {
             e.printStackTrace();
-            return null;
+            return Optional.empty();
         }
     }
 
@@ -134,22 +128,21 @@ public class PathingBehavior extends Behavior {
     public void onRenderPass(RenderEvent event) {
         //System.out.println("Render passing");
         //System.out.println(event.getPartialTicks());
-        IPath path = getPath();
         float partialTicks = event.getPartialTicks();
-        if (path != null) {
-            drawPath(path, player(), partialTicks, Color.RED);
-        }
-        if (AbstractNodeCostSearch.currentlyRunning != null) {
-            IPath p = AbstractNodeCostSearch.currentlyRunning.bestPathSoFar();
-            if (p != null) {
+
+        // Render the current path, if there is one
+        getPath().ifPresent(path -> drawPath(path, player(), partialTicks, Color.RED));
+
+        // If there is a path calculation currently running, render the path calculation process
+        AbstractNodeCostSearch.getCurrentlyRunning().ifPresent(currentlyRunning -> {
+            currentlyRunning.bestPathSoFar().ifPresent(p -> {
                 drawPath(p, player(), partialTicks, Color.BLUE);
-                IPath mr = AbstractNodeCostSearch.currentlyRunning.pathToMostRecentNodeConsidered();
-                if (mr != null) {
+                currentlyRunning.pathToMostRecentNodeConsidered().ifPresent(mr -> {
                     drawPath(mr, player(), partialTicks, Color.CYAN);
                     drawSelectionBox(player(), mr.getDest(), partialTicks, Color.CYAN);
-                }
-            }
-        }
+                });
+            });
+        });
     }
 
     public void drawPath(IPath path, EntityPlayerSP player, float partialTicks, Color color) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/calc/AStarPathFinder.java b/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/calc/AStarPathFinder.java
index 5c083a85..752d040e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/calc/AStarPathFinder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/calc/AStarPathFinder.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import net.minecraft.client.Minecraft;
 import net.minecraft.util.math.BlockPos;
 import net.minecraft.world.chunk.EmptyChunk;
 
+import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.Random;
 
 /**
@@ -21,12 +22,13 @@ import java.util.Random;
  * @author leijurv
  */
 public class AStarPathFinder extends AbstractNodeCostSearch {
+
     public AStarPathFinder(BlockPos start, Goal goal) {
         super(start, goal);
     }
 
     @Override
-    protected IPath calculate0() {
+    protected Optional<IPath> calculate0() {
         startNode = getNodeAtPosition(start);
         startNode.cost = 0;
         startNode.combinedCost = startNode.estimatedCostToGoal;
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ public class AStarPathFinder extends AbstractNodeCostSearch {
             }
             if (goal.isInGoal(currentNodePos)) {
                 currentlyRunning = null;
-                return new Path(startNode, currentNode, goal);
+                return Optional.of(new Path(startNode, currentNode, goal));
             }
             //long constructStart = System.nanoTime();
             Movement[] possibleMovements = getConnectedPositions(currentNodePos);//movement that we could take that start at myPos, in random order
@@ -125,13 +127,13 @@ public class AStarPathFinder extends AbstractNodeCostSearch {
                 }
                 System.out.println("Path goes for " + dist + " blocks");
                 currentlyRunning = null;
-                return new Path(startNode, bestSoFar[i], goal);
+                return Optional.of(new Path(startNode, bestSoFar[i], goal));
             }
         }
         System.out.println("Even with a cost coefficient of " + COEFFICIENTS[COEFFICIENTS.length - 1] + ", I couldn't get more than " + bestDist + " blocks =(");
         System.out.println("No path found =(");
         currentlyRunning = null;
-        return null;
+        return Optional.empty();
     }
 
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/calc/AbstractNodeCostSearch.java b/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/calc/AbstractNodeCostSearch.java
index 49619727..e909e0b6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/calc/AbstractNodeCostSearch.java
+++ b/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/calc/AbstractNodeCostSearch.java
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import net.minecraft.util.math.BlockPos;
 
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Optional;
 
 /**
  * Any pathfinding algorithm that keeps track of nodes recursively by their cost (e.g. A*, dijkstra)
@@ -16,10 +17,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractNodeCostSearch implements IPathFinder {
 
     /**
      * The currently running search task
-     * <p>
-     * TODO: This shouldn't be necessary, investigate old purpose of this field and determine necessity.
      */
-    public static AbstractNodeCostSearch currentlyRunning = null;
+    protected static AbstractNodeCostSearch currentlyRunning = null;
 
     protected final BlockPos start;
 
@@ -53,16 +52,16 @@ public abstract class AbstractNodeCostSearch implements IPathFinder {
         this.map = new HashMap<>();
     }
 
-    public synchronized IPath calculate() {
+    public synchronized Optional<IPath> calculate() {
         if (isFinished) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("Path Finder is currently in use! Wait until complete to reuse!");
         }
-        IPath path = calculate0();
+        Optional<IPath> path = calculate0();
         isFinished = true;
         return path;
     }
 
-    protected abstract IPath calculate0();
+    protected abstract Optional<IPath> calculate0();
 
     /**
      * Determines the distance squared from the specified node to the start
@@ -103,16 +102,16 @@ public abstract class AbstractNodeCostSearch implements IPathFinder {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public IPath bestPathSoFar() {
-        if (startNode == null || bestSoFar[0] == null) {
-            return null;
-        }
-        return new Path(startNode, bestSoFar[0], goal);
+    public Optional<IPath> pathToMostRecentNodeConsidered() {
+        return Optional.ofNullable(mostRecentConsidered).map(node -> new Path(startNode, node, goal));
     }
 
     @Override
-    public IPath pathToMostRecentNodeConsidered() {
-        return mostRecentConsidered == null ? null : new Path(startNode, mostRecentConsidered, goal);
+    public Optional<IPath> bestPathSoFar() {
+        if (startNode == null || bestSoFar[0] == null)
+            return Optional.empty();
+
+        return Optional.of(new Path(startNode, bestSoFar[0], goal));
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -129,4 +128,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractNodeCostSearch implements IPathFinder {
     public final BlockPos getStart() {
         return start;
     }
+
+    public static Optional<AbstractNodeCostSearch> getCurrentlyRunning() {
+        return Optional.ofNullable(currentlyRunning);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/calc/IPathFinder.java b/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/calc/IPathFinder.java
index c661050b..bde6d8f8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/calc/IPathFinder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/calc/IPathFinder.java
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import baritone.bot.pathing.goals.Goal;
 import baritone.bot.pathing.path.IPath;
 import net.minecraft.util.math.BlockPos;
 
+import java.util.Optional;
+
 /**
  * Generic path finder interface
  *
@@ -20,7 +22,7 @@ public interface IPathFinder {
      *
      * @return The final path
      */
-    IPath calculate();
+    Optional<IPath> calculate();
 
     /**
      * Intended to be called concurrently with calculatePath from a different thread to tell if it's finished yet
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ public interface IPathFinder {
      *
      * @return The temporary path
      */
-    IPath pathToMostRecentNodeConsidered();
+    Optional<IPath> pathToMostRecentNodeConsidered();
 
     /**
      * The best path so far, according to the most forgiving coefficient heuristic (the reason being that that path is
@@ -44,5 +46,5 @@ public interface IPathFinder {
      *
      * @return The temporary path
      */
-    IPath bestPathSoFar();
+    Optional<IPath> bestPathSoFar();
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/movement/MovementHelper.java b/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/movement/MovementHelper.java
index c9475226..8baf94d1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/movement/MovementHelper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/baritone/bot/pathing/movement/MovementHelper.java
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import net.minecraft.init.Blocks;
 import net.minecraft.util.math.BlockPos;
 import net.minecraft.util.math.RayTraceResult;
 
+import java.util.Optional;
+
 /**
  * Static helpers for cost calculation
  *
@@ -153,41 +155,38 @@ public interface MovementHelper extends ActionCosts, Helper {
      * The currently highlighted block.
      * Updated once a tick by Minecraft.
      *
-     * @return the position of the highlighted block, or null if no block is highlighted
+     * @return the position of the highlighted block
      */
-    static BlockPos whatAmILookingAt() {
+    static Optional<BlockPos> whatAmILookingAt() {
         if (mc.objectMouseOver != null && mc.objectMouseOver.typeOfHit == RayTraceResult.Type.BLOCK) {
-            return mc.objectMouseOver.getBlockPos();
+            return Optional.of(mc.objectMouseOver.getBlockPos());
         }
-        return null;
+        return Optional.empty();
     }
 
     /**
      * The entity the player is currently looking at
      *
-     * @return the entity object, or null if the player isn't looking at an entity
+     * @return the entity object
      */
-    static Entity whatEntityAmILookingAt() {
-        Minecraft mc = Minecraft.getMinecraft();
+    static Optional<Entity> whatEntityAmILookingAt() {
         if (mc.objectMouseOver != null && mc.objectMouseOver.typeOfHit == RayTraceResult.Type.ENTITY) {
-            return mc.objectMouseOver.entityHit;
+            return Optional.of(mc.objectMouseOver.entityHit);
         }
-        return null;
+        return Optional.empty();
     }
 
     /**
      * AutoTool
      */
     static void switchToBestTool() {
-        BlockPos pos = whatAmILookingAt();
-        if (pos == null) {
-            return;
-        }
-        IBlockState state = BlockStateInterface.get(pos);
-        if (state.getBlock().equals(Blocks.AIR)) {
-            return;
-        }
-        switchToBestToolFor(state);
+        whatAmILookingAt().ifPresent(pos -> {
+            IBlockState state = BlockStateInterface.get(pos);
+            if (state.getBlock().equals(Blocks.AIR)) {
+                return;
+            }
+            switchToBestToolFor(state);
+        });
     }
 
     /**
@@ -206,11 +205,10 @@ public interface MovementHelper extends ActionCosts, Helper {
      * @param ts previously calculated ToolSet
      */
     static void switchToBestToolFor(IBlockState b, ToolSet ts) {
-        Minecraft.getMinecraft().player.inventory.currentItem = ts.getBestSlot(b);
+        mc.player.inventory.currentItem = ts.getBestSlot(b);
     }
 
     static boolean isAir(BlockPos pos) {
         return BlockStateInterface.get(pos).getBlock().equals(Blocks.AIR);
     }
-
 }