diff --git a/src/main/java/li/cil/oc/api/machine/Architecture.java b/src/main/java/li/cil/oc/api/machine/Architecture.java
index 96614eba2..d25fcb02a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/li/cil/oc/api/machine/Architecture.java
+++ b/src/main/java/li/cil/oc/api/machine/Architecture.java
@@ -148,7 +148,22 @@ public interface Architecture {
      */
     @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
     @Target(ElementType.TYPE)
-    static @interface Name {
+    @interface Name {
         String value();
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Architectures flagged with this annotation can potentially run without
+     * any additional memory installed in the computer.
+     * <p/>
+     * Use this to allow assembly of devices such as microcontrollers without
+     * any memory being installed in them while your architecture is being
+     * used by the CPU being installed. Note to actually make the machine
+     * start up you only need to always return <tt>true</tt> from
+     * {@link #recomputeMemory}.
+     */
+    @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
+    @Target(ElementType.TYPE)
+    @interface NoMemoryRequirements {
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/scala/li/cil/oc/common/template/Template.scala b/src/main/scala/li/cil/oc/common/template/Template.scala
index 2e1e59a53..45a0f369d 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/li/cil/oc/common/template/Template.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/li/cil/oc/common/template/Template.scala
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import li.cil.oc.api.driver.item.Container
 import li.cil.oc.api.driver.item.Inventory
 import li.cil.oc.api.driver.item.Memory
 import li.cil.oc.api.driver.item.Processor
+import li.cil.oc.api.machine.Architecture
 import li.cil.oc.common.Slot
 import li.cil.oc.common.Tier
 import net.minecraft.inventory.IInventory
@@ -40,10 +41,11 @@ abstract class Template {
     val hasCase = caseTier(inventory) != Tier.None
     val hasCPU = this.hasCPU(inventory)
     val hasRAM = this.hasRAM(inventory)
+    val requiresRAM = this.requiresRAM(inventory)
     val complexity = this.complexity(inventory)
     val maxComplexity = this.maxComplexity(inventory)
 
-    val valid = hasCase && hasCPU && hasRAM && complexity <= maxComplexity
+    val valid = hasCase && hasCPU && (hasRAM || !requiresRAM) && complexity <= maxComplexity
 
     val progress =
       if (!hasCPU) Localization.Assembler.InsertCPU
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ abstract class Template {
         warnings += Localization.Assembler.Warning(name)
       }
     }
-    if (warnings.length > 0) {
+    if (warnings.nonEmpty) {
       warnings.prepend(Localization.Assembler.Warnings)
     }
 
@@ -80,6 +82,15 @@ abstract class Template {
     case _ => false
   })
 
+  protected def requiresRAM(inventory: IInventory) = !(0 until inventory.getSizeInventory).
+    map(inventory.getStackInSlot).
+    exists(stack => api.Driver.driverFor(stack, hostClass) match {
+    case driver: Processor =>
+      val architecture = driver.architecture(stack)
+      architecture != null && architecture.getAnnotation(classOf[Architecture.NoMemoryRequirements]) != null
+    case _ => false
+  })
+
   protected def hasComponent(name: String)(inventory: IInventory) = exists(inventory, stack => Option(api.Items.get(stack)) match {
     case Some(descriptor) => descriptor.name == name
     case _ => false