diff --git a/config/presets/representation-conversion.json b/config/presets/representation-conversion.json
index 1029e828d..110524901 100644
--- a/config/presets/representation-conversion.json
+++ b/config/presets/representation-conversion.json
@@ -79,24 +79,24 @@
 
     {
       "@id": "urn:solid-server:default:RepresentationConverter",
-      "@type": "IfNeededConverter",
-      "IfNeededConverter:_converter": {
-        "@type": "WaterfallHandler",
-        "WaterfallHandler:_handlers": [
-          {
-            "@id": "urn:solid-server:default:ContentTypeReplacer"
-          },
-          {
-            "@id": "urn:solid-server:default:RdfToQuadConverter"
-          },
-          {
-            "@id": "urn:solid-server:default:QuadToRdfConverter"
-          },
-          {
-            "@id": "urn:solid-server:default:RdfRepresentationConverter"
-          }
-        ]
-      }
+      "@type": "WaterfallHandler",
+      "WaterfallHandler:_handlers": [
+        {
+          "@type": "IfNeededConverter"
+        },
+        {
+          "@id": "urn:solid-server:default:ContentTypeReplacer"
+        },
+        {
+          "@id": "urn:solid-server:default:RdfToQuadConverter"
+        },
+        {
+          "@id": "urn:solid-server:default:QuadToRdfConverter"
+        },
+        {
+          "@id": "urn:solid-server:default:RdfRepresentationConverter"
+        }
+      ]
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/src/storage/conversion/IfNeededConverter.ts b/src/storage/conversion/IfNeededConverter.ts
index 535f447d9..87e273fb0 100644
--- a/src/storage/conversion/IfNeededConverter.ts
+++ b/src/storage/conversion/IfNeededConverter.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 import type { Representation } from '../../ldp/representation/Representation';
 import { getLoggerFor } from '../../logging/LogUtil';
 import { InternalServerError } from '../../util/errors/InternalServerError';
+import { UnsupportedAsyncHandler } from '../../util/UnsupportedAsyncHandler';
 import { matchingMediaTypes } from './ConversionUtil';
 import { RepresentationConverter } from './RepresentationConverter';
 import type { RepresentationConverterArgs } from './RepresentationConverter';
 
+const EMPTY_CONVERTER = new UnsupportedAsyncHandler('The content type does not match the preferences');
+
 /**
  * A {@link RepresentationConverter} that only converts representations
  * that are not compatible with the preferences.
@@ -13,7 +16,7 @@ export class IfNeededConverter extends RepresentationConverter {
   private readonly converter: RepresentationConverter;
   protected readonly logger = getLoggerFor(this);
 
-  public constructor(converter: RepresentationConverter) {
+  public constructor(converter: RepresentationConverter = EMPTY_CONVERTER) {
     super();
     this.converter = converter;
   }
diff --git a/test/unit/storage/conversion/IfNeededConverter.test.ts b/test/unit/storage/conversion/IfNeededConverter.test.ts
index 90b52a616..518f8feb0 100644
--- a/test/unit/storage/conversion/IfNeededConverter.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/storage/conversion/IfNeededConverter.test.ts
@@ -100,4 +100,17 @@ describe('An IfNeededConverter', (): void => {
     expect(innerConverter.handle).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
     expect(innerConverter.handle).toHaveBeenCalledWith(args);
   });
+
+  it('does not support conversion when there is no inner converter.', async(): Promise<void> => {
+    const emptyConverter = new IfNeededConverter();
+    const preferences = { type: { 'text/turtle': 0 }};
+    const args = { identifier, representation, preferences };
+
+    await expect(emptyConverter.canHandle(args)).rejects
+      .toThrow('The content type does not match the preferences');
+    await expect(emptyConverter.handle(args)).rejects
+      .toThrow('The content type does not match the preferences');
+    await expect(emptyConverter.handleSafe(args)).rejects
+      .toThrow('The content type does not match the preferences');
+  });
 });