diff --git a/radiantcore/eclass/EClassManager.cpp b/radiantcore/eclass/EClassManager.cpp
index 1d2abd4094..624efcce58 100644
--- a/radiantcore/eclass/EClassManager.cpp
+++ b/radiantcore/eclass/EClassManager.cpp
@@ -51,25 +51,20 @@ IEntityClassPtr EClassManager::findOrInsert(const std::string& name, bool has_br
 
     // Return an error if no name is given
     if (name.empty())
-    {
         return IEntityClassPtr();
-    }
 
-	// Convert string to lowercase, for case-insensitive lookup
-	std::string lName = string::to_lower_copy(name);
+    // Convert string to lowercase, for case-insensitive lookup
+    std::string lName = string::to_lower_copy(name);
 
     // Find and return if exists
     EntityClass::Ptr eclass = findInternal(lName);
     if (eclass)
-    {
         return eclass;
-    }
 
-    // Otherwise insert the new EntityClass
-    //IEntityClassPtr eclass = eclass::EntityClass::create(lName, has_brushes);
+    // Otherwise insert the new EntityClass.
     // greebo: Changed fallback behaviour when unknown entites are encountered to TRUE
     // so that brushes of unknown entites don't get lost (issue #240)
-    eclass = EntityClass::create(lName, true);
+    eclass = EntityClass::createDefault(lName, true);
 
     // Any overrides should also apply to entityDefs that are crated on the fly
     GlobalEclassColourManager().applyColours(*eclass);
diff --git a/radiantcore/eclass/EntityClass.cpp b/radiantcore/eclass/EntityClass.cpp
index e8d07fc5ec..2f7679ad9d 100644
--- a/radiantcore/eclass/EntityClass.cpp
+++ b/radiantcore/eclass/EntityClass.cpp
@@ -19,13 +19,18 @@ namespace
 
 const EntityClassAttribute EntityClass::_emptyAttribute("", "", "");
 
-EntityClass::EntityClass(const std::string& name, const vfs::FileInfo& fileInfo, bool fixedSize)
+EntityClass::EntityClass(const std::string& name, bool fixedSize)
 : _name(name),
-  _fileInfo(fileInfo),
   _colour(UndefinedColour),
   _fixedSize(fixedSize)
 {}
 
+EntityClass::EntityClass(const std::string& name, const vfs::FileInfo& fileInfo, bool fixedSize)
+: EntityClass(name, fixedSize)
+{
+    _fileInfo = fileInfo;
+}
+
 const std::string& EntityClass::getName() const
 {
     return _name;
@@ -156,10 +161,9 @@ void EntityClass::emplaceAttribute(EntityClassAttribute&& attribute)
     }
 }
 
-EntityClass::Ptr EntityClass::create(const std::string& name, bool brushes)
+EntityClass::Ptr EntityClass::createDefault(const std::string& name, bool brushes)
 {
-    vfs::FileInfo emptyFileInfo("def/", "_autogenerated_by_darkradiant_.def", vfs::Visibility::HIDDEN);
-    auto eclass = std::make_shared<EntityClass>(name, emptyFileInfo, !brushes);
+    auto eclass = std::make_shared<EntityClass>(name, !brushes);
 
     // Force the entity class colour to default
     eclass->setColour(UndefinedColour);
@@ -293,7 +297,7 @@ bool EntityClass::isOfType(const std::string& className)
 
 std::string EntityClass::getDefFileName()
 {
-    return _fileInfo.fullPath();
+    return _fileInfo ? _fileInfo->fullPath() : "";
 }
 
 // Find a single attribute
diff --git a/radiantcore/eclass/EntityClass.h b/radiantcore/eclass/EntityClass.h
index 087f2b64ba..f98a2c4c12 100644
--- a/radiantcore/eclass/EntityClass.h
+++ b/radiantcore/eclass/EntityClass.h
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@ class EntityClass
     // The name of this entity class
     std::string _name;
 
-    // Source file information
-    vfs::FileInfo _fileInfo;
+    // Source file information. May not exist if the entity class was created in code rather than
+    // loaded from a .def file.
+    std::optional<vfs::FileInfo> _fileInfo;
 
     // Parent class pointer (or NULL)
     EntityClass* _parent = nullptr;
@@ -91,28 +92,16 @@ class EntityClass
                                   bool editorKeys) const;
 
 public:
-    /**
-     * Static function to create a default entity class.
-     *
-     * @param name
-     * The name of the entity class to create.
-     *
-     * @param brushes
-     * Whether the entity contains brushes or not.
-     */
-    static EntityClass::Ptr create(const std::string& name, bool brushes);
 
-    /**
-     * Constructor.
-     *
-     * @param name
-     * Entity class name.
-     *
-     * @param fixedSize
-     * Whether this entity has a fixed size.
-     */
+    /// Construct an EntityClass with no FileInfo.
+    EntityClass(const std::string& name, bool isFixedSize = false);
+
+    /// Construct an EntityClass with a given FileInfo.
     EntityClass(const std::string& name, const vfs::FileInfo& fileInfo, bool fixedSize = false);
 
+    /// Create a heap-allocated default/empty EntityClass
+    static EntityClass::Ptr createDefault(const std::string& name, bool brushes);
+
     void emplaceAttribute(EntityClassAttribute&& attribute);
 
     // IEntityClass implementation