diff --git a/mods/CORE/mcl_util/init.lua b/mods/CORE/mcl_util/init.lua
index 100863238..8c5a5f132 100644
--- a/mods/CORE/mcl_util/init.lua
+++ b/mods/CORE/mcl_util/init.lua
@@ -1261,16 +1261,16 @@ function mcl_util.assign_uuid(obj)
 
 	return le._uuid
 end
-function mcl_util.metadata_timer(meta, name, dtime)
-	local tick = false
-	local timer = meta:get_float(name)
-	if timer < dtime then
-		tick = true
-		timer = timer + 1
-	else
-		timer = timer - dtime
+function mcl_util.metadata_last_act(meta, name, delay)
+	local last_act = meta:get_float(name)
+	local now = minetest.get_us_time() * 1e-6
+	if last_act > now + 0.5 then
+		-- Last action was in the future, clock went backwards, so reset
+	elseif last_act >= now - delay then
+		return false
 	end
-	meta:set_float(name, timer)
-	if not tick then return true end
+
+	meta:set_float(name, now)
+	return true
 end
 
diff --git a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_minecarts/movement.lua b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_minecarts/movement.lua
index f750a4ad0..f1b405921 100644
--- a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_minecarts/movement.lua
+++ b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_minecarts/movement.lua
@@ -445,12 +445,13 @@ local function do_movement( staticdata, dtime )
 	assert(staticdata)
 
 	-- Allow the carts to be delay for the rest of the world to react before moving again
+	--[[
 	if ( staticdata.delay or 0 ) > dtime then
 		staticdata.delay = staticdata.delay - dtime
 		return
 	else
 		staticdata.delay = 0
-	end
+	end]]
 
 	-- Break long movements at block boundaries to make it
 	-- it impossible to jump across gaps due to server lag
diff --git a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_hoppers/init.lua b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_hoppers/init.lua
index cf39c760a..07dd52089 100644
--- a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_hoppers/init.lua
+++ b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_hoppers/init.lua
@@ -96,7 +96,12 @@ local function bent_hopper_act(pos, node, active_object_count, active_object_cou
 	mcl_util.hopper_pull(pos, src_pos)
 end
 
+--[[
+  Returns true if an item was pushed to the minecart
+]]
 local function hopper_push_to_mc(mc_ent, dest_pos, inv_size)
+	if not mcl_util.metadata_last_act(minetest.get_meta(dest_pos), "hopper_push_timer", 1) then return false end
+
 	local dest_inv = mcl_entity_invs.load_inv(mc_ent, inv_size)
 	if not dest_inv then
 		mcl_log("No inv")
@@ -136,7 +141,12 @@ local function hopper_push_to_mc(mc_ent, dest_pos, inv_size)
 		end
 	end
 end
+--[[
+  Returns true if an item was pulled from the minecart
+]]
 local function hopper_pull_from_mc(mc_ent, dest_pos, inv_size)
+	if not mcl_util.metadata_last_act(minetest.get_meta(dest_pos), "hopper_pull_timer", 1) then return false end
+
 	local inv = mcl_entity_invs.load_inv(mc_ent, inv_size)
 	if not inv then
 		mcl_log("No inv")
@@ -309,12 +319,12 @@ local def_hopper = {
 			return
 		end
 
-		if not mcl_util.metadata_timer(minetest.get_meta(pos), "minecart_hopper_timer", dtime) then return end
-
 		local cart_pos = mcl_minecarts.get_cart_position(cartdata)
 		if not cart_pos then return false end
-		if pos.x ~= cart_pos.x or pos.z ~= cart_pos.z then return end
-
+		if vector.distance(cart_pos, pos) > 1.5 then
+			cart:remove_node_watch(pos)
+			return
+		end
 		if vector.direction(pos,cart_pos).y > 0 then
 			-- The cart is above us, pull from minecart
 			hopper_pull_from_mc(cart, pos, 5)
@@ -538,6 +548,7 @@ local def_hopper_side = {
 	end,
 	_mcl_minecarts_on_leave_below = function(pos, cart, next_dir)
 		if not cart then return end
+
 		cart:remove_node_watch(pos)
 	end,
 	_mcl_minecarts_on_enter_side = function(pos, cart, next_dir, rail_pos)
@@ -561,6 +572,8 @@ local def_hopper_side = {
 		if cart.groups and (cart.groups.container or 0) ~= 0 then
 			cart:add_node_watch(pos)
 		end
+
+		hopper_push_to_mc(cart, pos, 5)
 	end,
 	_mcl_minecarts_on_leave_side = function(pos, cart, next_dir)
 		if not cart then return end
@@ -570,13 +583,13 @@ local def_hopper_side = {
 	_mcl_minecarts_node_on_step = function(pos, cart, dtime, cartdata)
 		if not cart then return end
 
-		if not mcl_util.metadata_timer(minetest.get_meta(pos), "minecart_hopper_timer", dtime) then return end
-
 		local cart_pos = mcl_minecarts.get_cart_position(cartdata)
 		if not cart_pos then return false end
-		if cart_pos.x ~= pos.x or cart_pos.z ~= pos.x then return end
+		if vector.distance(cart_pos, pos) > 1.5 then
+			cart:remove_node_watch(pos)
+			return false
+		end
 
-		print("uuid="..cartdata.uuid)
 		if cart_pos.y == pos.y then
 			hopper_push_to_mc(cart, pos, 5)
 		elseif cart_pos.y > pos.y then