diff --git a/src/main/java/gregtech/common/GT_Proxy.java b/src/main/java/gregtech/common/GT_Proxy.java
index 770a2e37de9..2c14c9b25b6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/gregtech/common/GT_Proxy.java
+++ b/src/main/java/gregtech/common/GT_Proxy.java
@@ -1369,7 +1369,11 @@ public void onServerStarted() {
         if (world.getWorldInfo()
             .getWorldTotalTime() == 0L) {
             // The world has just been created
-            GT_Worldgenerator.useNewOregenPattern = true;
+            GT_Worldgenerator.useNewOregenPattern = 1;
+        }
+        if (GT_Worldgenerator.useNewOregenPattern == -1) {
+            // this is an old world that got updated
+            GT_Worldgenerator.useNewOregenPattern = 0;
         }
         GT_Worldgenerator.OregenPatternSavedData.loadData(world);
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/gregtech/common/GT_Worldgenerator.java b/src/main/java/gregtech/common/GT_Worldgenerator.java
index 74cefb507db..03370dcbfb9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/gregtech/common/GT_Worldgenerator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/gregtech/common/GT_Worldgenerator.java
@@ -60,9 +60,10 @@ public class GT_Worldgenerator implements IWorldGenerator {
     public static final Object listLock = new Object();
 
     /**
-     * {@code true} if ore-veins positions are evenly spaced, {@code false} if they are symmetrical to the X and Z axis.
+     * {@code 1} if ore-veins positions are evenly spaced, {@code 0} if they are symmetrical to the X and Z axis,
+     * {@code -1} if the state is unknown
      */
-    public static boolean useNewOregenPattern = false;
+    public static int useNewOregenPattern = -1;
 
     public GT_Worldgenerator() {
         endAsteroids = GregTech_API.sWorldgenFile.get("endasteroids", "GenerateAsteroids", true);
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ public void generate(Random aRandom, int aX, int aZ, World aWorld, IChunkProvide
     }
 
     public static boolean isOreChunk(int chunkX, int chunkZ) {
-        if (useNewOregenPattern) {
+        if (useNewOregenPattern == 1 || useNewOregenPattern == -1) {
             return Math.floorMod(chunkX, 3) == 1 && Math.floorMod(chunkZ, 3) == 1;
         }
         return Math.abs(chunkX) % 3 == 1 && Math.abs(chunkZ) % 3 == 1;
@@ -158,13 +159,22 @@ public static void loadData(World world) {
         @Override
         public void readFromNBT(NBTTagCompound p_76184_1_) {
             if (p_76184_1_.hasKey(KEY)) {
-                useNewOregenPattern = p_76184_1_.getBoolean(KEY);
+                if (p_76184_1_.getBoolean(KEY)) {
+                    useNewOregenPattern = 1;
+                } else {
+                    useNewOregenPattern = 0;
+                }
             }
         }
 
         @Override
         public void writeToNBT(NBTTagCompound p_76187_1_) {
-            p_76187_1_.setBoolean(KEY, useNewOregenPattern);
+            if (useNewOregenPattern == 1) {
+                p_76187_1_.setBoolean(KEY, true);
+            }
+            if (useNewOregenPattern == 0) {
+                p_76187_1_.setBoolean(KEY, false);
+            }
         }
 
     }