diff --git a/mealie/db/models/recipe/instruction.py b/mealie/db/models/recipe/instruction.py
index 395b5dba9..ea0d11c42 100644
--- a/mealie/db/models/recipe/instruction.py
+++ b/mealie/db/models/recipe/instruction.py
@@ -38,5 +38,7 @@ class RecipeInstruction(SqlAlchemyBase):
     )
 
     @auto_init()
-    def __init__(self, ingredient_references, session, **_) -> None:
-        self.ingredient_references = [RecipeIngredientRefLink(**ref, session=session) for ref in ingredient_references]
+    def __init__(self, session, ingredient_references=None, **_) -> None:
+        self.ingredient_references = [
+            RecipeIngredientRefLink(**ref, session=session) for ref in (ingredient_references or [])
+        ]
diff --git a/tests/integration_tests/user_recipe_tests/test_recipe_crud.py b/tests/integration_tests/user_recipe_tests/test_recipe_crud.py
index 467cab8b1..9975c8a3c 100644
--- a/tests/integration_tests/user_recipe_tests/test_recipe_crud.py
+++ b/tests/integration_tests/user_recipe_tests/test_recipe_crud.py
@@ -1389,6 +1389,29 @@ def test_patch_recipe_after_name_changes_without_slug_update(api_client: TestCli
     assert patched_recipe["description"] == "Translated without changing the stored slug"
 
 
+def test_patch_recipe_instructions_without_ingredient_references(api_client: TestClient, unique_user: TestUser):
+    response = api_client.post(
+        api_routes.recipes,
+        json={"name": "Patch instructions without refs"},
+        headers=unique_user.token,
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 201
+    slug = response.json()
+
+    response = api_client.patch(
+        api_routes.recipes_slug(slug),
+        json={"recipeInstructions": [{"text": "Step one."}, {"text": "Step two."}]},
+        headers=unique_user.token,
+    )
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+
+    response = api_client.get(api_routes.recipes_slug(slug), headers=unique_user.token)
+    assert response.status_code == 200
+    recipe = response.json()
+    assert [step["text"] for step in recipe["recipeInstructions"]] == ["Step one.", "Step two."]
+    assert all(step["ingredientReferences"] == [] for step in recipe["recipeInstructions"])
+
+
 def test_put_recipe_name_change_updates_slug(api_client: TestClient, unique_user: TestUser):
     original_name = "Original Recipe Name"
     renamed_name = "Renamed Recipe Name"