diff --git a/mods/CORE/vl_legacy/API.md b/mods/CORE/vl_legacy/API.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4bbc4658e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mods/CORE/vl_legacy/API.md
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# Legacy Code Support Functions
+
+## vl\_legacy.deprecated(description, replacement)
+
+Creates a wrapper than logs calls to deprecated function.
+
+Arguments:
+* `description`: The text logged when the deprecated function is called.
+* `replacement`: The function that should be called instead. This is invoked passing
+                 along the parameters exactly as provided.
+
+## vl\_legacy.register\_item\_conversion
+
+Allows automatic conversion of items.
+
+Arguments:
+* `old`: Itemstring to be converted
+* `new`: New item string
+
diff --git a/mods/CORE/vl_legacy/init.lua b/mods/CORE/vl_legacy/init.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7ac12067c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mods/CORE/vl_legacy/init.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+local mod = {}
+vl_legacy = mod
+
+function mod.deprecated(description, func)
+	return function(...)
+		minetest.log("warning",description .. debug.traceback())
+		return func(...)
+	end
+end
+
+local item_conversions = {}
+mod.registered_item_conversions = item_conversions
+
+function mod.register_item_conversion(old, new, func)
+	item_conversions[old] = {new, func}
+end
+function mod.convert_inventory_lists(lists)
+	for _,list in pairs(lists) do
+		for i = 1,#list do
+			local itemstack = list[i]
+			local conversion = item_conversions[itemstack:get_name()]
+			if conversion then
+				local new_name,func = conversion[1],conversion[2]
+				if func then
+					func(itemstack)
+				else
+					itemstack:set_name(new_name)
+				end
+			end
+		end
+	end
+end
+function mod.convert_inventory(inv)
+	local lists = inv:get_lists()
+	mod.convert_inventory_lists(lists)
+	inv:set_lists(lists)
+end
+
+minetest.register_on_joinplayer(function(player)
+	mod.convert_inventory(player:get_inventory())
+end)
+
+minetest.register_lbm({
+	name = "vl_legacy:convert_container_inventories",
+	nodenames = "group:containers",
+	run_at_every_load = true,
+	action = function(pos, node)
+		local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
+		mod.convert_inventory(meta:get_inventory())
+	end
+})
+
diff --git a/mods/CORE/vl_legacy/mod.conf b/mods/CORE/vl_legacy/mod.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..11b6cd01b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mods/CORE/vl_legacy/mod.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+name = vl_legacy
+author = teknomunk
+description = API to ease conversion of items, deprecated function logging and similar functions
diff --git a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_entity_invs/init.lua b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_entity_invs/init.lua
index 601ec2019..ee9b50318 100644
--- a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_entity_invs/init.lua
+++ b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_entity_invs/init.lua
@@ -27,21 +27,19 @@ local inv_callbacks = {
 }
 
 function mcl_entity_invs.load_inv(ent,size)
-	mcl_log("load_inv")
 	if not ent._inv_id then return end
-	mcl_log("load_inv 2")
 	local inv = minetest.get_inventory({type="detached", name=ent._inv_id})
 	if not inv then
-		mcl_log("load_inv 3")
 		inv =  minetest.create_detached_inventory(ent._inv_id, inv_callbacks)
 		inv:set_size("main", size)
 		if ent._mcl_entity_invs_load_items then
-			inv:set_list("main",ent:_mcl_entity_invs_load_items())
+			local lists = ent:_mcl_entity_invs_load_items()
+			vl_legacy.convert_inventory_lists(lists)
+			inv:set_list("main", lists)
 		elseif ent._items then
+			vl_legacy.convert_inventory_lists(ent._items)
 			inv:set_list("main",ent._items)
 		end
-	else
-		mcl_log("load_inv 4")
 	end
 	return inv
 end
diff --git a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_entity_invs/mod.conf b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_entity_invs/mod.conf
index 8e94d6b1e..64f92aea9 100644
--- a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_entity_invs/mod.conf
+++ b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_entity_invs/mod.conf
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 name = mcl_entity_invs
 author = cora
-depends = mcl_formspec
+depends = mcl_formspec, vl_legacy