diff --git a/forms/gridfield/GridField.php b/forms/gridfield/GridField.php
index ac1fbbd39f9..9aef66d79d7 100755
--- a/forms/gridfield/GridField.php
+++ b/forms/gridfield/GridField.php
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ public function FieldHolder() {
 		foreach($this->components as $item) {			
 			if($item instanceof GridField_HTMLProvider) {
 				$fragments = $item->getHTMLFragments($this);
-				foreach($fragments as $k => $v) {
+				if($fragments) foreach($fragments as $k => $v) {
 					$k = strtolower($k);
 					if(!isset($content[$k])) $content[$k] = "";
 					$content[$k] .= $v . "\n";
diff --git a/forms/gridfield/GridFieldConfig.php b/forms/gridfield/GridFieldConfig.php
index 76ad37a6b0a..b6da4213fd1 100755
--- a/forms/gridfield/GridFieldConfig.php
+++ b/forms/gridfield/GridFieldConfig.php
@@ -132,10 +132,14 @@ public static function create($itemsPerPage=null){
 	 */
 	public function __construct($itemsPerPage=null) {
 		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldToolbarHeader());
-		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldSortableHeader());
-		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldFilterHeader());
+		$this->addComponent($sort = new GridFieldSortableHeader());
+		$this->addComponent($filter = new GridFieldFilterHeader());
 		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldDataColumns());
-		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldPaginator($itemsPerPage));
+		$this->addComponent($pagination = new GridFieldPaginator($itemsPerPage));
+
+		$sort->throwExceptionOnBadDataType(false);
+		$filter->throwExceptionOnBadDataType(false);
+		$pagination->throwExceptionOnBadDataType(false);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -159,13 +163,17 @@ public static function create($itemsPerPage=null){
 	 */
 	public function __construct($itemsPerPage=null) {
 		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldToolbarHeader());
-		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldSortableHeader());
-		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldFilterHeader());
+		$this->addComponent($sort = new GridFieldSortableHeader());
+		$this->addComponent($filter = new GridFieldFilterHeader());
 		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldDataColumns());
 		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldEditButton());
 		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldDeleteAction());
-		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldPaginator($itemsPerPage));
+		$this->addComponent($pagination = new GridFieldPaginator($itemsPerPage));
 		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldDetailForm());
+
+		$sort->throwExceptionOnBadDataType(false);
+		$filter->throwExceptionOnBadDataType(false);
+		$pagination->throwExceptionOnBadDataType(false);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -202,12 +210,16 @@ public static function create($itemsPerPage=null){
 	public function __construct($itemsPerPage=null) {
 		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldToolbarHeader());
 		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldAddExistingAutocompleter());
-		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldSortableHeader());
-		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldFilterHeader());
+		$this->addComponent($sort = new GridFieldSortableHeader());
+		$this->addComponent($filter = new GridFieldFilterHeader());
 		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldDataColumns());
 		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldEditButton());
-		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldDeleteAction(true));
-		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldPaginator($itemsPerPage));
+		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldDeleteAction());
+		$this->addComponent($pagination = new GridFieldPaginator($itemsPerPage));
 		$this->addComponent(new GridFieldDetailForm());
+
+		$sort->throwExceptionOnBadDataType(false);
+		$filter->throwExceptionOnBadDataType(false);
+		$pagination->throwExceptionOnBadDataType(false);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/forms/gridfield/GridFieldFilterHeader.php b/forms/gridfield/GridFieldFilterHeader.php
index 4990efe60eb..b59c38ee69f 100644
--- a/forms/gridfield/GridFieldFilterHeader.php
+++ b/forms/gridfield/GridFieldFilterHeader.php
@@ -8,17 +8,54 @@
  * @subpackage fields-relational
  */
 class GridFieldFilterHeader implements GridField_HTMLProvider, GridField_DataManipulator, GridField_ActionProvider {
+
+	/**
+	 * See {@link throwExceptionOnBadDataType()}
+	 */
+	protected $throwExceptionOnBadDataType = true;
 	
+	/**
+	 * Determine what happens when this component is used with a list that isn't {@link SS_Filterable}.
+	 * 
+	 *  - true: An exception is thrown
+	 *  - false: This component will be ignored - it won't make any changes to the GridField.
+	 * 
+	 * By default, this is set to true so that it's clearer what's happening, but the predefined
+	 * {@link GridFieldConfig} subclasses set this to false for flexibility.
+	 */
+	public function throwExceptionOnBadDataType($throwExceptionOnBadDataType) {
+		$this->throwExceptionOnBadDataType = $throwExceptionOnBadDataType; 
+	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Check that this dataList is of the right data type.
+	 * Returns false if it's a bad data type, and if appropriate, throws an exception.
+	 */
+	protected function checkDataType($dataList) {
+		if($dataList instanceof SS_Filterable) {
+			return true;
+		} else {
+			if($this->throwExceptionOnBadDataType) {
+				throw new LogicException(get_class($this) . " expects an SS_Filterable list to be passed to the GridField.");
+			}
+			return false;
+		}
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 *
 	 * @param GridField $gridField
 	 * @return array
 	 */
 	public function getActions($gridField) {
+		if(!$this->checkDataType($gridField->getList())) return;
+
 		return array('filter', 'reset');
 	}
 
 	function handleAction(GridField $gridField, $actionName, $arguments, $data) {
+		if(!$this->checkDataType($gridField->getList())) return;
+
 		$state = $gridField->State->GridFieldFilterHeader;
 		if($actionName === 'filter') {
 			if(isset($data['filter'])){
@@ -39,6 +76,8 @@ function handleAction(GridField $gridField, $actionName, $arguments, $data) {
 	 * @return SS_List 
 	 */
 	public function getManipulatedData(GridField $gridField, SS_List $dataList) {
+		if(!$this->checkDataType($dataList)) return $dataList;
+		
 		$state = $gridField->State->GridFieldFilterHeader;
 		if(!isset($state->Columns)) {
 			return $dataList;
@@ -54,6 +93,8 @@ public function getManipulatedData(GridField $gridField, SS_List $dataList) {
 	}
 
 	public function getHTMLFragments($gridField) {
+		if(!$this->checkDataType($gridField->getList())) return;
+
 		$forTemplate = new ArrayData(array());
 		$forTemplate->Fields = new ArrayList;
 
diff --git a/forms/gridfield/GridFieldPaginator.php b/forms/gridfield/GridFieldPaginator.php
index 76629be09dc..7ee32008d44 100755
--- a/forms/gridfield/GridFieldPaginator.php
+++ b/forms/gridfield/GridFieldPaginator.php
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ class GridFieldPaginator implements GridField_HTMLProvider, GridField_DataManipu
 	 */
 	protected $itemClass = 'GridFieldPaginator_Row';
 
+	/**
+	 * See {@link throwExceptionOnBadDataType()}
+	 */
+	protected $throwExceptionOnBadDataType = true;
+
 	/**
 	 *
 	 * @param int $itemsPerPage - How many items should be displayed per page
@@ -27,6 +32,34 @@ class GridFieldPaginator implements GridField_HTMLProvider, GridField_DataManipu
 	public function __construct($itemsPerPage=null) {
 		if($itemsPerPage) $this->itemsPerPage = $itemsPerPage;
 	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Determine what happens when this component is used with a list that isn't {@link SS_Filterable}.
+	 * 
+	 *  - true: An exception is thrown
+	 *  - false: This component will be ignored - it won't make any changes to the GridField.
+	 * 
+	 * By default, this is set to true so that it's clearer what's happening, but the predefined
+	 * {@link GridFieldConfig} subclasses set this to false for flexibility.
+	 */
+	public function throwExceptionOnBadDataType($throwExceptionOnBadDataType) {
+		$this->throwExceptionOnBadDataType = $throwExceptionOnBadDataType; 
+	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Check that this dataList is of the right data type.
+	 * Returns false if it's a bad data type, and if appropriate, throws an exception.
+	 */
+	protected function checkDataType($dataList) {
+		if($dataList instanceof SS_Limitable) {
+			return true;
+		} else {
+			if($this->throwExceptionOnBadDataType) {
+				throw new LogicException(get_class($this) . " expects an SS_Limitable list to be passed to the GridField.");
+			}
+			return false;
+		}
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 *
@@ -34,6 +67,8 @@ public function __construct($itemsPerPage=null) {
 	 * @return array
 	 */
 	public function getActions($gridField) {
+		if(!$this->checkDataType($gridField->getList())) return;
+		
 		return array('paginate');
 	}
 
@@ -46,6 +81,8 @@ public function getActions($gridField) {
 	 * @return void
 	 */
 	public function handleAction(GridField $gridField, $actionName, $arguments, $data) {
+		if(!$this->checkDataType($gridField->getList())) return;
+		
 		if($actionName !== 'paginate') {
 			return;
 		}
@@ -60,6 +97,8 @@ public function handleAction(GridField $gridField, $actionName, $arguments, $dat
 	 * @return SS_List 
 	 */
 	public function getManipulatedData(GridField $gridField, SS_List $dataList) {
+		if(!$this->checkDataType($dataList)) return $dataList;
+		
 		$state = $gridField->State->GridFieldPaginator;
 		if(!is_int($state->currentPage))
 			$state->currentPage = 1;
@@ -80,6 +119,8 @@ public function getManipulatedData(GridField $gridField, SS_List $dataList) {
 	 * @return array
 	 */
 	public function getHTMLFragments($gridField) {
+		if(!$this->checkDataType($gridField->getList())) return;
+		
 		$state = $gridField->State->GridFieldPaginator;
 		if(!is_int($state->currentPage))
 			$state->currentPage = 1;
diff --git a/forms/gridfield/GridFieldSortableHeader.php b/forms/gridfield/GridFieldSortableHeader.php
index 130cadc46f5..e5213886418 100644
--- a/forms/gridfield/GridFieldSortableHeader.php
+++ b/forms/gridfield/GridFieldSortableHeader.php
@@ -8,11 +8,46 @@
  * @subpackage fields-relational
  */
 class GridFieldSortableHeader implements GridField_HTMLProvider, GridField_DataManipulator, GridField_ActionProvider {
+
+	/**
+	 * See {@link throwExceptionOnBadDataType()}
+	 */
+	protected $throwExceptionOnBadDataType = true;
+	
+	/**
+	 * Determine what happens when this component is used with a list that isn't {@link SS_Filterable}.
+	 * 
+	 *  - true: An exception is thrown
+	 *  - false: This component will be ignored - it won't make any changes to the GridField.
+	 * 
+	 * By default, this is set to true so that it's clearer what's happening, but the predefined
+	 * {@link GridFieldConfig} subclasses set this to false for flexibility.
+	 */
+	public function throwExceptionOnBadDataType($throwExceptionOnBadDataType) {
+		$this->throwExceptionOnBadDataType = $throwExceptionOnBadDataType; 
+	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Check that this dataList is of the right data type.
+	 * Returns false if it's a bad data type, and if appropriate, throws an exception.
+	 */
+	protected function checkDataType($dataList) {
+		if($dataList instanceof SS_Sortable) {
+			return true;
+		} else {
+			if($this->throwExceptionOnBadDataType) {
+				throw new LogicException(get_class($this) . " expects an SS_Sortable list to be passed to the GridField.");
+			}
+			return false;
+		}
+	}
 	
 	/**
 	 * Returns the header row providing titles with sort buttons 
 	 */
 	public function getHTMLFragments($gridField) {
+		if(!$this->checkDataType($gridField->getList())) return;
+
 		$forTemplate = new ArrayData(array());
 		$forTemplate->Fields = new ArrayList;
 
@@ -58,10 +93,14 @@ public function getHTMLFragments($gridField) {
 	 * @return array
 	 */
 	public function getActions($gridField) {
+		if(!$this->checkDataType($gridField->getList())) return;
+
 		return array('sortasc', 'sortdesc');
 	}
 	
 	function handleAction(GridField $gridField, $actionName, $arguments, $data) {
+		if(!$this->checkDataType($gridField->getList())) return;
+
 		$state = $gridField->State->GridFieldSortableHeader;
 		switch($actionName) {
 			case 'sortasc':
@@ -77,6 +116,8 @@ function handleAction(GridField $gridField, $actionName, $arguments, $data) {
 	}
 	
 	public function getManipulatedData(GridField $gridField, SS_List $dataList) {
+		if(!$this->checkDataType($dataList)) return $dataList;
+
 		$state = $gridField->State->GridFieldSortableHeader;
 		if ($state->SortColumn == "") {
 			return $dataList;