diff --git a/src/environment.cpp b/src/environment.cpp
index 3730817..8170391 100644
--- a/src/environment.cpp
+++ b/src/environment.cpp
@@ -1173,8 +1173,14 @@ void ServerEnvironment::step(float dtime)
 					MapNode n_top = m_map->getNodeNoEx(p+v3s16(0,1,0));
 					if (content_features(n_top).air_equivalent) {
 						if (p.Y > (coldzone+10) && p.Y < 1024) {
-							n.setContent(CONTENT_MUDSNOW);
-							m_map->addNodeWithEvent(p, n);
+							// should only change to snow if there's nothing above it
+							std::vector<content_t> search;
+							search.push_back(CONTENT_SNOW);
+							search.push_back(CONTENT_AIR);
+							if (!searchNearInv(p,v3s16(0,0,0),v3s16(0,32,0),search,NULL)) {
+								n.setContent(CONTENT_MUDSNOW);
+								m_map->addNodeWithEvent(p, n);
+							}
 						}else if (n_top.getLightBlend(getDayNightRatio()) >= 13) {
 							if (season == ENV_SEASON_AUTUMN || season == ENV_SEASON_WINTER) {
 								n.setContent(CONTENT_GROWING_GRASS_AUTUMN);
@@ -1424,8 +1430,14 @@ void ServerEnvironment::step(float dtime)
 									|| myrand_range(0,10) == 0
 								)
 							) {
-								n.setContent(CONTENT_MUDSNOW);
-								m_map->addNodeWithEvent(p, n);
+								// should only change to snow if there's nothing above it
+								std::vector<content_t> search;
+								search.push_back(CONTENT_SNOW);
+								search.push_back(CONTENT_AIR);
+								if (!searchNearInv(p,v3s16(0,0,0),v3s16(0,32,0),search,NULL)) {
+									n.setContent(CONTENT_MUDSNOW);
+									m_map->addNodeWithEvent(p, n);
+								}
 							}else if (
 								(
 									season == ENV_SEASON_WINTER
@@ -1478,9 +1490,15 @@ void ServerEnvironment::step(float dtime)
 						if ((season == ENV_SEASON_SPRING && myrand_range(0,10) == 0) || season == ENV_SEASON_SUMMER) {
 							n.setContent(CONTENT_GRASS);
 							m_map->addNodeWithEvent(p,n);
-						}else if (season == ENV_SEASON_WINTER && (ch > 10 || myrand_range(0,5) == 0)) {
-							n.setContent(CONTENT_MUDSNOW);
-							m_map->addNodeWithEvent(p,n);
+						}else if (season == ENV_SEASON_WINTER && p.Y > (coldzone-10) && (ch > 10 || myrand_range(0,5) == 0)) {
+							// should only change to snow if there's nothing above it
+							std::vector<content_t> search;
+							search.push_back(CONTENT_SNOW);
+							search.push_back(CONTENT_AIR);
+							if (!searchNearInv(p,v3s16(0,0,0),v3s16(0,32,0),search,NULL)) {
+								n.setContent(CONTENT_MUDSNOW);
+								m_map->addNodeWithEvent(p, n);
+							}
 						}else{
 							int f = (700-(p.Y*2))+10;
 							if (p.Y > 1 && myrand()%f == 0) {