diff --git a/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/buildings.lua b/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/buildings.lua
index 6dfa807bfc..0d58739edb 100644
--- a/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/buildings.lua
+++ b/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/buildings.lua
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 function settlements.build_schematic(vm, data, va, pos, building, replace_wall, name)
   -- get building node material for better integration to surrounding
-  local platform_material =  minetest.get_node_or_nil(pos)
+  local platform_material =  mcl_util.get_far_node(pos, true)
   if not platform_material then
     return
   end
diff --git a/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/depends.txt b/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/depends.txt
index 9ba29f3ee3..e9d14ad9b6 100644
--- a/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/depends.txt
+++ b/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/depends.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+mcl_util
 mcl_core
 mcl_loot
 mcl_farming?
diff --git a/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/foundation.lua b/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/foundation.lua
index 15936ef4c0..98726966cc 100644
--- a/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/foundation.lua
+++ b/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/foundation.lua
@@ -52,8 +52,7 @@ function settlements.terraform(settlement_info, pr)
 					else
 						-- write ground
 						local p = {x=pos.x+xi, y=pos.y+yi, z=pos.z+zi}
-						minetest.forceload_block(p)
-						local node = minetest.get_node_or_nil(p)
+						local node = mcl_util.get_far_node(p, true)
 						if node and node.name ~= "air" then
 							minetest.swap_node(p,{name="air"}) 
 						end
diff --git a/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/init.lua b/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/init.lua
index 6413174db5..33a2177832 100644
--- a/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/init.lua
+++ b/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/init.lua
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ end
 local mg_name = minetest.get_mapgen_setting("mg_name")
 if mg_name ~= "singlenode" then
 	minetest.register_on_generated(function(minp, maxp, blockseed)
+		minetest.log("warning","[mcl_villages] on_generated("..minetest.pos_to_string(minp)..", "..minetest.pos_to_string(maxp)..", "..tostring(blockseed)..")")
 		-- needed for manual and automated settlement building
 		local heightmap = minetest.get_mapgen_object("heightmap")
 
@@ -94,11 +95,8 @@ if mg_name ~= "singlenode" then
 		-- don't build settlements on (too) uneven terrain
 		local height_difference = settlements.evaluate_heightmap(minp, maxp)
 		if height_difference > max_height_difference then return end
-
-		-- new way - slow :(((((
-		minetest.emerge_area(vector.subtract(minp,24), vector.add(maxp,24), ecb_build_a_settlement, {minp = vector.new(minp), maxp=vector.new(maxp), blockseed=blockseed})
-		-- old way - wait 3 seconds:
-		-- minetest.after(3, ecb_build_a_settlement, nil, 1, 0, {minp = vector.new(minp), maxp=vector.new(maxp), blockseed=blockseed})
+		-- we need 'minetest.after' here to exit from emerging thread we probably currently in:
+		minetest.after(0.1, build_a_settlement_no_delay, vector.new(minp), vector.new(maxp), blockseed)
 	end)
 end
 -- manually place villages
diff --git a/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/utils.lua b/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/utils.lua
index 96d540b57f..b02d50c62a 100644
--- a/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/utils.lua
+++ b/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/utils.lua
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ function settlements.find_surface(pos)
 	local itter -- count up or down
 	local cnt_max = 200
 	-- check, in which direction to look for surface
-	local surface_node = minetest.get_node_or_nil(p6)
+	local surface_node = mcl_util.get_far_node(p6, true)
 	if surface_node and string.find(surface_node.name,"air") then
 		itter = -1
 	else
@@ -61,31 +61,16 @@ function settlements.find_surface(pos)
 	while cnt < cnt_max do
 		cnt = cnt+1
 		minetest.forceload_block(p6)
-		surface_node = minetest.get_node_or_nil(p6)
-
-		if not surface_node then
-			-- Load the map at pos and try again
-			minetest.get_voxel_manip():read_from_map(p6, p6)
-			surface_node = minetest.get_node(p6)
-			if surface_node.name == "ignore" then
-				settlements.debug("find_surface1: nil or ignore")
-				return nil
-			end
+		surface_node = mcl_util.get_far_node(p6, true)
+		if surface_node.name == "ignore" then
+			settlements.debug("find_surface1: nil or ignore")
+			return nil
 		end
 
-		-- if surface_node == nil or surface_node.name == "ignore" then
-		-- 	--return nil
-		-- 	local fl = minetest.forceload_block(p6)
-		-- 	if not fl then
-		--
-		-- 		return nil
-		-- 	end
-		-- end
-		--
 		-- Check Surface_node and Node above
 		--
 		if settlements.surface_mat[surface_node.name] then
-			local surface_node_plus_1 = minetest.get_node_or_nil({ x=p6.x, y=p6.y+1, z=p6.z})
+			local surface_node_plus_1 = mcl_util.get_far_node({ x=p6.x, y=p6.y+1, z=p6.z}, true)
 			if surface_node_plus_1 and surface_node and
 				(string.find(surface_node_plus_1.name,"air") or
 				string.find(surface_node_plus_1.name,"snow") or
@@ -257,7 +242,7 @@ function settlements.initialize_nodes(settlement_info, pr)
 			for xi = 0,width do
 				for zi = 0,depth do
 					local ptemp = {x=p.x+xi, y=p.y+yi, z=p.z+zi}
-					local node = minetest.get_node(ptemp)
+					local node = mcl_util.get_far_node(ptemp, true)
 					if node.name == "mcl_furnaces:furnace" or
 						node.name == "mcl_chests:chest" or
 						node.name == "mcl_anvils:anvil" then