diff --git a/src/recipe.rs b/src/recipe.rs
index 567ca70..5d0588d 100644
--- a/src/recipe.rs
+++ b/src/recipe.rs
@@ -10,47 +10,53 @@ pub struct Recipe {
     #[serde(alias = "fedora-version")]
     pub fedora_version: u16,
 
-    pub scripts: Scripts,
+    pub scripts: Option<Scripts>,
 
-    pub rpm: Rpm,
+    pub rpm: Option<Rpm>,
 
     #[serde(alias = "usr-dir-overlays")]
     pub usr_dir_overlays: Option<Vec<String>>,
 
     pub containerfiles: Option<Containerfiles>,
 
-    pub firstboot: FirstBoot,
+    pub firstboot: Option<FirstBoot>,
 }
 
 impl Recipe {
     pub fn process_repos(mut self) -> Self {
-        self.rpm.repos = self
-            .rpm
-            .repos
-            .iter()
-            .map(|s| s.replace("%FEDORA_VERSION%", self.fedora_version.to_string().as_str()))
-            .collect();
+        if let Some(rpm) = &mut self.rpm {
+            if let Some(repos) = &rpm.repos {
+                rpm.repos = Some(
+                    repos
+                        .iter()
+                        .map(|s| {
+                            s.replace("%FEDORA_VERSION%", self.fedora_version.to_string().as_str())
+                        })
+                        .collect(),
+                );
+            }
+        }
         self
     }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Scripts {
-    pub pre: Vec<String>,
-    pub post: Vec<String>,
+    pub pre: Option<Vec<String>>,
+    pub post: Option<Vec<String>>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct Rpm {
-    pub repos: Vec<String>,
-    pub install: Vec<String>,
-    pub remove: Vec<String>,
+    pub repos: Option<Vec<String>>,
+    pub install: Option<Vec<String>>,
+    pub remove: Option<Vec<String>>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct FirstBoot {
     pub yafti: bool,
-    pub flatpaks: Vec<String>,
+    pub flatpaks: Option<Vec<String>>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
diff --git a/templates/starting_point.template b/templates/starting_point.template
index b98093b..0706640 100644
--- a/templates/starting_point.template
+++ b/templates/starting_point.template
@@ -34,15 +34,19 @@ RUN find /tmp/scripts -type f -exec chmod +x {} \;
 
 {{ print_autorun_scripts(mode = "pre") }}
 
+{% if scripts and scripts.pre %}
 {% for script in scripts.pre %}
 RUN /bin/bash -c '/tmp/scripts/{{ script }} pre'
 {% endfor %}
+{% endif %}
 
+{% if rpm and rpm.repos %}
 {% for repo in rpm.repos %}
 RUN wget "{{ repo }}" -P "/etc/yum.repos.d/"
 {% endfor %}
+{% endif %}
 
-{% if rpm.remove %}
+{% if rpm and rpm.remove %}
 RUN rpm-ostree override remove {% for app in rpm.remove %}{{ app }} {% endfor %}
 {% endif %}
 
@@ -68,15 +72,17 @@ RUN echo "-- firstboot: Removing all \"firstboot\" components --"; \
     rm -rf "${FIRSTBOOT_DATA}"
 {% endif %}
 
-{% if rpm.install %}
+{% if rpm and rpm.install %}
 RUN rpm-ostree install {% for app in rpm.install %}{{ app }} {% endfor %}
 {% endif %}
 
 {{ print_autorun_scripts(mode = "post") }}
 
+{% if scripts and scripts.pre %}
 {% for script in scripts.post -%}
 RUN /bin/bash -c '/tmp/scripts/{{ script }} post'
 {% endfor -%}
+{% endif %}
 
 {% if containerfiles and containerfiles.post %}
 	{% for containerfile in containerfiles.post %}