The hydrogen induced cracking of generic Fe-C-Ti and Fe-C-V ferritic alloys was investigated to assess the influence of precipitates on the hydrogen sensitivity of a material. The formed precipitates were evaluated with scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Melt and hot extraction were performed to determine the total and diffusible hydrogen content, respectively, after cathodic hydrogen charging. Two types of hydrogen induced cracks were evaluated, i.e. cracks formed by electrochemical hydrogen charging with and without application of an external load on the sample. Evaluation of the hydrogen induced cracks and the role of precipitates was performed by combining optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD).