diff --git a/masque/builder/utils.py b/masque/builder/utils.py
index 73c5c76..949782a 100644
--- a/masque/builder/utils.py
+++ b/masque/builder/utils.py
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@ def ell(
     if not ports:
         raise BuildError('Empty port list passed to `ell()`')
 
+    if isinstance(ports, PortList):
+        ports = PortList.ports
+
     if ccw is None:
         if spacing is not None and not numpy.isclose(spacing, 0):
             raise BuildError('Spacing must be 0 or None when ccw=None')
diff --git a/masque/ports.py b/masque/ports.py
index a3716be..a981457 100644
--- a/masque/ports.py
+++ b/masque/ports.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from typing import Dict, Iterable, List, Tuple, KeysView, ValuesView, ItemsView
+from typing import Dict, Iterable, List, Tuple, KeysView, ValuesView
 from typing import overload, Union, Optional, TypeVar
 import warnings
 import traceback
@@ -132,15 +132,9 @@ class PortList(metaclass=ABCMeta):
         else:
             return {k: self.ports[k] for k in key}
 
-    # TODO add Mapping stuff to PortsList
-    def keys(self) -> KeysView[str]:
-        return self.ports.keys()
-
-    def values(self) -> ValuesView[Port]:
-        return self.ports.values()
-
-    def items(self) -> ItemsView[str, Port]:
-        return self.ports.items()
+    # NOTE: Didn't add keys(), items(), values(), __contains__(), etc.
+    # because it's weird on stuff like Pattern that contains other lists
+    # and because you can just grab .ports and use that instead
 
     def rename_ports(
             self: PL,