diff --git a/mods/CORE/mcl_util/init.lua b/mods/CORE/mcl_util/init.lua
index 6c63c21abe..aedff5ef86 100644
--- a/mods/CORE/mcl_util/init.lua
+++ b/mods/CORE/mcl_util/init.lua
@@ -405,3 +405,53 @@ function mcl_util.get_object_center(obj)
 	pos.y = pos.y + (ymax - ymin) / 2.0
 	return pos
 end
+
+local get_node_emerge_queue = {}
+local function ecb_get_far_node(blockpos, action, calls_remaining, param)
+	if calls_remaining <= 0 and param then
+		minetest.log("verbose","[mcl_util] ecb done for param = "..param.." node.name="..minetest.get_node(minetest.string_to_pos(param)).name)
+		get_node_emerge_queue[param] = nil
+	end
+end
+
+function mcl_util.get_far_node(pos, force)
+	local node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	if node.name ~= "ignore" then
+		return node
+	end
+
+	minetest.get_voxel_manip():read_from_map(pos, pos)
+	node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+	if node.name ~= "ignore" or not force then
+		return node
+	end
+
+	local blockpos = vector.multiply(vector.floor(vector.divide(pos, mcl_vars.MAP_BLOCKSIZE)), mcl_vars.MAP_BLOCKSIZE)
+	local key = minetest.pos_to_string(blockpos)
+
+	for i=1,2 do -- give engine 2 chances to emerge the data
+		if not get_node_emerge_queue[key] then
+			get_node_emerge_queue[key] = 1
+			minetest.log("verbose","[mcl_util] emerge during get_far_node("..minetest.pos_to_string(pos).."), key="..key..", blockpos="..minetest.pos_to_string(blockpos))
+			minetest.emerge_area(blockpos, vector.add(blockpos, mcl_vars.MAP_BLOCKSIZE-1), ecb_get_far_node, key)
+		end
+
+		while not get_node_emerge_queue[key] do end
+		minetest.log("verbose","[mcl_util] emerge finished for node "..minetest.pos_to_string(pos)..", key="..key..", blockpos="..minetest.pos_to_string(blockpos)..", node.name="..mcl_util.get_far_node(pos).name)
+
+		node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+		if node.name ~= "ignore" then
+			return node
+		end
+
+		minetest.get_voxel_manip():read_from_map(pos, pos)
+		node = minetest.get_node(pos)
+		if node.name ~= "ignore" or not force then
+			return node
+		end
+	end
+
+	node.name = "air" -- engine continuously returns "ignore" - probably it is a bug
+	minetest.swap_node(pos, node) -- engine continuously returns "ignore" - probably it is a bug
+	return node -- engine continuously returns "ignore" - probably it is a bug
+end
diff --git a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_paintings/init.lua b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_paintings/init.lua
index 25811d87db..6a3ccab4d1 100644
--- a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_paintings/init.lua
+++ b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_paintings/init.lua
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ minetest.register_entity("mcl_paintings:painting", {
 	_xsize = 1,
 	_ysize = 1,
 	on_activate = function(self, staticdata)
+		self.object:set_armor_groups({immortal = 1})
 		if staticdata and staticdata ~= "" then
 			local data = minetest.deserialize(staticdata)
 			if data then
@@ -165,18 +166,20 @@ minetest.register_entity("mcl_paintings:painting", {
 		}
 		return minetest.serialize(data)
 	end,
-	on_death = function(self, killer)
-		-- Drop as item on death
-		local kname = ""
-		if killer and killer:is_player() then
-			kname = killer:get_player_name()
-		end
-		if not minetest.is_creative_enabled(kname) then
+	on_punch = function(self, puncher, time_from_last_punch, tool_capabilities, dir, damage)
+		-- Drop as item on punch
+		if puncher and puncher:is_player() then
+			kname = puncher:get_player_name()
 			local pos = self._pos
 			if not pos then
 				pos = self.object:get_pos()
 			end
-			minetest.add_item(pos, "mcl_paintings:painting")
+			if not minetest.is_protected(pos, kname) then
+				self.object:remove()
+				if not minetest.is_creative_enabled(kname) then
+					minetest.add_item(pos, "mcl_paintings:painting")
+				end
+			end
 		end
 	end,
 })
diff --git a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_armor/models/mcl_armor_character.b3d b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_armor/models/mcl_armor_character.b3d
index 0852c4cb1d..05ab1907fd 100644
Binary files a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_armor/models/mcl_armor_character.b3d and b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_armor/models/mcl_armor_character.b3d differ
diff --git a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_armor/models/mcl_armor_character.blend b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_armor/models/mcl_armor_character.blend
index e940742c19..67468fd632 100644
Binary files a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_armor/models/mcl_armor_character.blend and b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_armor/models/mcl_armor_character.blend differ
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..287b4c9bea 100644
--- a/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/init.lua
+++ b/mods/MAPGEN/mcl_villages/init.lua
@@ -94,11 +94,8 @@ 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..c539e7dc1c 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
@@ -60,32 +60,16 @@ function settlements.find_surface(pos)
 	-- go through nodes an find surface
 	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 +241,7 @@ 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
diff --git a/mods/PLAYER/mcl_playerplus/init.lua b/mods/PLAYER/mcl_playerplus/init.lua
index a4606a9daa..92ec697d84 100644
--- a/mods/PLAYER/mcl_playerplus/init.lua
+++ b/mods/PLAYER/mcl_playerplus/init.lua
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ minetest.register_globalstep(function(dtime)
 			-- sets eye height, and nametag color accordingly
 			player:set_properties({eye_height = 1.35, nametag_color = { r = 225, b = 225, a = 0, g = 225 }})
 
-		elseif minetest.get_item_group(mcl_playerinfo[name].node_stand, "water") ~= 0 then
+		elseif minetest.get_item_group(mcl_playerinfo[name].node_stand, "water") ~= 0 and player:get_attach() == nil then
 			-- controls head pitch when swiming
 			player:set_bone_position("Head", vector.new(0,6.3,0), vector.new(pitch+90,0,0))
 			-- sets eye height, and nametag color accordingly