diff --git a/internal/control/edit/editors/composite_editor.go b/internal/control/edit/editors/composite_editor.go
index b3260f12..269b4cf5 100644
--- a/internal/control/edit/editors/composite_editor.go
+++ b/internal/control/edit/editors/composite_editor.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ja-he/dayplan/internal/control/edit"
 	"github.com/ja-he/dayplan/internal/input"
 	"github.com/ja-he/dayplan/internal/input/processors"
-	"github.com/ja-he/dayplan/internal/model"
 )
 
 // An EditorID is a unique identifier for an editor within a composite editor.
@@ -75,7 +74,7 @@ func (e *Composite) EnterField() {
 }
 
 // ConstructEditor constructs a new editor...
-func ConstructEditor[T any](id string, obj *T, extraSpec map[string]any, parentEditor *Composite) (edit.Editor, error) {
+func ConstructEditor(id string, obj any, extraSpec map[string]any, parentEditor *Composite) (edit.Editor, error) {
 	structPtr := reflect.ValueOf(obj)
 
 	if structPtr.Kind() != reflect.Ptr {
@@ -120,7 +119,6 @@ func ConstructEditor[T any](id string, obj *T, extraSpec map[string]any, parentE
 	}
 
 	// go through all tags
-	activeFieldIDPopulated := false
 	for i := 0; i < structValue.NumField(); i++ {
 		field := structType.Field(i)
 
@@ -149,9 +147,8 @@ func ConstructEditor[T any](id string, obj *T, extraSpec map[string]any, parentE
 			// add the corresponding data to e (if not ignored)
 			if !editspec.Ignore {
 				// set the active field to the first field
-				if !activeFieldIDPopulated {
+				if constructedCompositeEditor.activeFieldID == "___unassigned" {
 					constructedCompositeEditor.activeFieldID = subeditorID
-					activeFieldIDPopulated = true
 				}
 				constructedCompositeEditor.fieldOrder = append(constructedCompositeEditor.fieldOrder, subeditorID)
 
@@ -195,12 +192,14 @@ func ConstructEditor[T any](id string, obj *T, extraSpec map[string]any, parentE
 					} else {
 						// construct the sub-editor for the struct
 						f := structValue.Field(i)
-						typedSubfield, ok := f.Addr().Interface().(*model.Category) // TODO: no clue what i was smoking here...
-						if !ok {
-							return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to cast field '%s' of type '%s' to model.Category", field.Name, field.Type.String())
+						var fAsPtr any
+						if f.Kind() == reflect.Ptr {
+							fAsPtr = f.Interface()
+						} else {
+							fAsPtr = f.Addr().Interface()
 						}
 						log.Debug().Msgf("constructing subeditor for field '%s' of type '%s'", field.Name, field.Type.String())
-						sube, err := ConstructEditor(field.Name, typedSubfield, nil, constructedCompositeEditor)
+						sube, err := ConstructEditor(field.Name, fAsPtr, nil, constructedCompositeEditor)
 						if err != nil {
 							return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to construct subeditor for field '%s' of type '%s' (%s)", field.Name, field.Type.String(), err.Error())
 						}
@@ -220,6 +219,9 @@ func ConstructEditor[T any](id string, obj *T, extraSpec map[string]any, parentE
 
 	}
 
+	if len(constructedCompositeEditor.fieldOrder) == 0 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not find any fields to edit")
+	}
 	if constructedCompositeEditor.activeFieldID == "___unassigned" {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not find a field to set as active")
 	}