diff --git a/core/src/mindustry/content/TechTree.java b/core/src/mindustry/content/TechTree.java
index dcb1a53b82..199c81a5f8 100644
--- a/core/src/mindustry/content/TechTree.java
+++ b/core/src/mindustry/content/TechTree.java
@@ -709,7 +709,7 @@ public class TechTree implements ContentList{
         /** Item requirements for this content. */
         public ItemStack[] requirements;
         /** Requirements that have been fulfilled. Always the same length as the requirement array. */
-        public final ItemStack[] finishedRequirements;
+        public ItemStack[] finishedRequirements;
         /** Extra objectives needed to research this. */
         public Seq<Objective> objectives = new Seq<>();
         /** Nodes that depend on this node. */
@@ -720,14 +720,8 @@ public class TechTree implements ContentList{
 
             this.parent = parent;
             this.content = content;
-            this.requirements = requirements;
             this.depth = parent == null ? 0 : parent.depth + 1;
-            this.finishedRequirements = new ItemStack[requirements.length];
-
-            //load up the requirements that have been finished if settings are available
-            for(int i = 0; i < requirements.length; i++){
-                finishedRequirements[i] = new ItemStack(requirements[i].item, Core.settings == null ? 0 : Core.settings.getInt("req-" + content.name + "-" + requirements[i].item.name));
-            }
+            setupRequirements(requirements);
 
             var used = new ObjectSet<Content>();
 
@@ -742,6 +736,16 @@ public class TechTree implements ContentList{
             all.add(this);
         }
 
+        public void setupRequirements(ItemStack[] requirements){
+            this.requirements = requirements;
+            this.finishedRequirements = new ItemStack[requirements.length];
+
+            //load up the requirements that have been finished if settings are available
+            for(int i = 0; i < requirements.length; i++){
+                finishedRequirements[i] = new ItemStack(requirements[i].item, Core.settings == null ? 0 : Core.settings.getInt("req-" + content.name + "-" + requirements[i].item.name));
+            }
+        }
+
         /** Resets finished requirements and saves. */
         public void reset(){
             for(ItemStack stack : finishedRequirements){
diff --git a/core/src/mindustry/core/Control.java b/core/src/mindustry/core/Control.java
index bb4c1082b1..93fa1e68a2 100644
--- a/core/src/mindustry/core/Control.java
+++ b/core/src/mindustry/core/Control.java
@@ -247,12 +247,12 @@ public class Control implements ApplicationListener, Loadable{
         saves.load();
     }
 
-    /** Automatically unlocks things with no requirements. */
+    /** Automatically unlocks things with no requirements and no locked parents. */
     void checkAutoUnlocks(){
         if(net.client()) return;
 
         for(TechNode node : TechTree.all){
-            if(!node.content.unlocked() && node.requirements.length == 0 && !node.objectives.contains(o -> !o.complete())){
+            if(!node.content.unlocked() && (node.parent == null || node.parent.content.unlocked()) && node.requirements.length == 0 && !node.objectives.contains(o -> !o.complete())){
                 node.content.unlock();
             }
         }
diff --git a/core/src/mindustry/mod/ContentParser.java b/core/src/mindustry/mod/ContentParser.java
index 2227e6134f..6738257d79 100644
--- a/core/src/mindustry/mod/ContentParser.java
+++ b/core/src/mindustry/mod/ContentParser.java
@@ -121,6 +121,11 @@ public class ContentParser{
             return sound;
         });
         put(Objectives.Objective.class, (type, data) -> {
+            if(data.isString()){
+                var cont = locateAny(data.asString());
+                if(cont == null) throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unknown objective content: " + data.asString());
+                return new Research((UnlockableContent)cont);
+            }
             var oc = resolve(data.getString("type", ""), SectorComplete.class);
             data.remove("type");
             Objectives.Objective obj = make(oc);
@@ -544,6 +549,16 @@ public class ContentParser{
         return first != null ? first : Vars.content.getByName(type, currentMod.name + "-" + name);
     }
 
+    private <T extends MappableContent> T locateAny(String name){
+        for(ContentType t : ContentType.all){
+            var out = locate(t, name);
+            if(out != null){
+                return (T)out;
+            }
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
+
     <T> T make(Class<T> type){
         try{
             Constructor<T> cons = type.getDeclaredConstructor();
@@ -680,18 +695,26 @@ public class ContentParser{
                 lastNode.remove();
             }
 
-            TechNode node = new TechNode(null, unlock, customRequirements == null ? unlock.researchRequirements() : customRequirements);
+            TechNode node = new TechNode(null, unlock, customRequirements == null ? ItemStack.empty : customRequirements);
             LoadedMod cur = currentMod;
 
             postreads.add(() -> {
                 currentContent = unlock;
                 currentMod = cur;
 
+                //add custom objectives
+                if(research.has("objectives")){
+                    node.objectives.addAll(parser.readValue(Objective[].class, research.get("objectives")));
+                }
+
                 //remove old node from parent
                 if(node.parent != null){
                     node.parent.children.remove(node);
                 }
 
+                if(customRequirements == null){
+                    node.setupRequirements(unlock.researchRequirements());
+                }
 
                 //find parent node.
                 TechNode parent = TechTree.all.find(t -> t.content.name.equals(researchName) || t.content.name.equals(currentMod.name + "-" + researchName));