diff --git a/mods/MAPGEN/vl_structures/commands.lua b/mods/MAPGEN/vl_structures/commands.lua
index 53dbf9929..5250602cd 100644
--- a/mods/MAPGEN/vl_structures/commands.lua
+++ b/mods/MAPGEN/vl_structures/commands.lua
@@ -42,9 +42,8 @@ minetest.register_on_mods_loaded(function()
 	minetest.registered_chatcommands["spawnstruct"].params = p
 end)
 
---- /locate chat command
+--- /locate chat command (debug privilege)
 minetest.register_chatcommand("locate", {
-	params = "",
 	description = S("Locate a pre-defined structure near your position."),
 	privs = {debug = true},
 	func = function(name, param)
@@ -57,9 +56,9 @@ minetest.register_chatcommand("locate", {
 			local datastr = ""
 			for i, d in ipairs(data) do datastr = datastr .. (i > 1 and " | " or "") .. d end
 			if datastr == "" then
-				minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("Error: No structure type given, and no structures were recently spawned."))
+				minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("Error: No structure type given, and no structures were recently spawned - try /emerge 128 and give the game some time."))
 			else
-				minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("Error: No structure type given. Recently spawned structures include: "..datastr.."”."))
+				minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("Error: No structure type given. Recently spawned structures include: "..datastr))
 			end
 			return
 		end
@@ -70,10 +69,57 @@ minetest.register_chatcommand("locate", {
 			if sdx < bestd or not bestv then bestd, bestp = sdx, p end
 		end
 		if bestp then
-			minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("A "..param.." can be found at "..minetest.pos_to_string(bestp)))
+			minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("A @1 can be found at @2, @3 blocks away.", param, minetest.pos_to_string(bestp), bestd))
 		else
-			minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("Structure type not known or no structure of this type spawned yet."))
+			minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("Structure type not known or no structure of this type spawned yet - try /emerge 128 and give the game some time."))
 		end
 	end
 })
 
+--- /emerge chat command (debug privilege, as this could be abused to slow down a server)
+minetest.register_chatcommand("emerge", {
+	description = S("Fully emerge the area near your position."),
+	privs = {debug = true},
+	func = function(name, param)
+		local player = minetest.get_player_by_name(name)
+		if not player then return end
+		local pos = player:get_pos()
+		if not pos then return end
+		local distance = tonumber(param)
+		if not distance or distance > 512 then
+			minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("Error: the emerge distance must be at most 512, as too large emerges could be abused to create server load."))
+			return
+		end
+		minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("Staring map generation, please be patient."))
+		local calls_initial, start, lastrep, known_initial = nil, os.clock(), os.clock(), {}
+		for _,k in ipairs(vl_structures.get_structure_spawns()) do known_initial[k] = #(vl_structures.get_structure_spawns(k) or {}) end
+		minetest.emerge_area(vector.offset(pos, -distance, -16, distance), vector.offset(pos, distance, 16, distance),
+		    function(blockpos, action, calls_remaining, param)
+			calls_initial = calls_initial or calls_remaining + 1
+			if calls_remaining == 0 then
+				-- emerge twice to give the structure emerges a chance to run.
+				calls_initial = 0
+				minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("Initial emerge complete, starting second pass."))
+				minetest.emerge_area(vector.offset(pos, -distance, -16, distance), vector.offset(pos, distance, 16, distance),
+				    function(blockpos, action, calls_remaining, param)
+					calls_initial = calls_initial or calls_remaining + 1
+					local report = ""
+					for _,k in pairs(vl_structures.get_structure_spawns()) do
+						local n = #(vl_structures.get_structure_spawns(k) or {}) - (known_initial[k] or 0)
+						if n > 0 then
+							report = report..(report == "" and "" or ", ")..tostring(n).." "..k
+						end
+					end
+					if report == "" then report = S("nothing yet.") end
+					if calls_remaining == 0 then
+						minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("Area has been successfully generated after @1 seconds. New: @2", math.floor(os.clock() - start), report))
+					end
+				    end)
+			elseif os.clock() - lastrep >= 10 then
+				lastrep = os.clock()
+				minetest.chat_send_player(name, S("Initial emerge @1% complete.", math.floor(100 * (calls_initial - calls_remaining) / calls_initial)))
+			end
+		end)
+		return
+	end
+})