diff --git a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_burning/api.lua b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_burning/api.lua
index 8093d45f98..885875aca2 100644
--- a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_burning/api.lua
+++ b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_burning/api.lua
@@ -131,17 +131,6 @@ function mcl_burning.set_on_fire(obj, burn_time)
 	if obj:is_player() then
 		mcl_burning.update_hud(obj)
 	end
-
-	--  FIXME: does this code make sense?  It removes attached fire luaentities from
-	--  another object that happen to be at the same position.
-	local fire_luaentity = fire_entity:get_luaentity()
-	for _, other in pairs(minetest.get_objects_inside_radius(fire_entity:get_pos(), 0)) do
-		local other_luaentity = other:get_luaentity()
-		if other_luaentity and other_luaentity.name == "mcl_burning:fire" and other_luaentity ~= fire_luaentity then
-			other:remove()
-			break
-		end
-	end
 end
 
 function mcl_burning.extinguish(obj)
diff --git a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_burning/init.lua b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_burning/init.lua
index 62bf3f69a9..8133a1fe36 100644
--- a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_burning/init.lua
+++ b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_burning/init.lua
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ minetest.register_on_joinplayer(function(player)
 	local storage = {}
 	local burn_data = player:get_meta():get_string("mcl_burning:data")
 	if burn_data ~= "" then
-		storage = minetest.deserialize(burn_data)
+		storage = minetest.deserialize(burn_data) or storage
 	end
 	mcl_burning.storage[player] = storage
 	if storage.burn_time and storage.burn_time > 0 then
@@ -98,8 +98,7 @@ minetest.register_entity("mcl_burning:fire", {
 		glow = -1,
 		backface_culling = false,
 	},
-	animation_frame = 0,
-	animation_timer = 0,
+	_mcl_animation_timer = 0,
 	on_activate = function(self)
 		self.object:set_sprite({x = 0, y = 0}, animation_frames, 1.0 / animation_frames)
 	end,
@@ -115,9 +114,9 @@ minetest.register_entity("mcl_burning:fire", {
 			return
 		end
 		if parent:is_player() then
-			self.animation_timer = self.animation_timer + dtime
-			if self.animation_timer >= 0.1 then
-				self.animation_timer = 0
+			self._mcl_animation_timer = self._mcl_animation_timer + dtime
+			if self._mcl_animation_timer >= 0.1 then
+				self._mcl_animation_timer = 0
 				mcl_burning.update_hud(parent)
 			end
 		end