diff --git a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_dripping/init.lua b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_dripping/init.lua
index 5d4d8fa49..96bc0b839 100644
--- a/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_dripping/init.lua
+++ b/mods/ENTITIES/mcl_dripping/init.lua
@@ -3,45 +3,53 @@
 -- License of code, textures & sounds: CC0
 
 local math = math
-
-local function register_drop(liquid, glow, sound, nodes)
-
-	local pdef = {
+local function make_drop(pos,liquid,sound,interval)
+	local pt = {
 		velocity = vector.new(0,0,0),
 		collision_removal = false,
 	}
+	local t = math.random() + math.random(1, interval)
+	minetest.after(t,function()
+		local x, z = math.random(-45, 45) / 100, math.random(-45, 45) / 100
+		pt.pos = vector.offset(pos,x,-0.52,z)
+		pt.acceleration = vector.new(0,0,0)
+		pt.collisiondetection = false
+		pt.expirationtime = t
 
+		pt.texture="[combine:2x2:" .. -math.random(1, 16) .. "," .. -math.random(1, 16) .. "=default_" .. liquid .. "_source_animated.png"
+		minetest.add_particle(pt)
+		minetest.after(t,function()
+			pt.acceleration = vector.new(0,-5,0)
+			pt.collisiondetection = true
+			pt.expirationtime = math.random() + math.random(1, interval/2)
+			minetest.add_particle(pt)
+			minetest.sound_play({name = "drippingwater_" .. sound .. "drip"}, {pos = ownpos, gain = 0.5, max_hear_distance = 8}, true)
+		end)
+	end)
+end
+
+local function register_drop(liquid, glow, sound, nodes, interval, chance)
 	minetest.register_abm({
 		label = "Create drops",
 		nodenames = nodes,
 		neighbors = {"group:" .. liquid},
-		interval = 2,
-		chance = 22,
+		interval = interval,
+		chance = chance,
 		action = function(pos)
-			if minetest.get_item_group(minetest.get_node(vector.offset(pos, 0, 1, 0)).name, liquid) ~= 0
-			and minetest.get_node(vector.offset(pos, 0, -1, 0)).name == "air" then
-				minetest.after(math.random(0.1,1.5),function()
-					local pt = table.copy(pdef)
-					local x, z = math.random(-45, 45) / 100, math.random(-45, 45) / 100
-					pt.pos = vector.offset(pos,x,-0.52,z)
-					pt.acceleration = vector.new(0,0,0)
-					pt.collisiondetection = false
-					pt.expirationtime = math.random(9.5,28.5)
-
-					pt.texture="[combine:2x2:" .. -math.random(1, 16) .. "," .. -math.random(1, 16) .. "=default_" .. liquid .. "_source_animated.png"
-					minetest.add_particle(pt)
-					minetest.after(pt.expirationtime,function()
-						pt.acceleration = vector.new(0,-5,0)
-						pt.collisiondetection = true
-						pt.expirationtime = math.random(6.2,17.5)
-						minetest.add_particle(pt)
-						minetest.sound_play({name = "drippingwater_" .. sound .. "drip"}, {pos = ownpos, gain = 0.5, max_hear_distance = 8}, true)
-					end)
-				end)
+			local r = math.ceil(interval / 20)
+			local nn=minetest.find_nodes_in_area(vector.offset(pos,-r,0,-r),vector.offset(pos,r,0,r),nodes)
+			--start a bunch of particle cycles to be able to get away
+			--with longer abm cycles
+			table.shuffle(nn)
+			for i=1,math.random(#nn) do
+				if minetest.get_item_group(minetest.get_node(vector.offset(nn[i], 0, 1, 0)).name, liquid) ~= 0
+				and minetest.get_node(vector.offset(nn[i], 0, -1, 0)).name == "air" then
+					make_drop(nn[i],liquid,sound,interval)
+				end
 			end
 		end,
 	})
 end
 
-register_drop("water", 1, "", {"group:opaque", "group:leaves"})
-register_drop("lava", math.max(7, minetest.registered_nodes["mcl_core:lava_source"].light_source - 3), "lava", {"group:opaque"})
+register_drop("water", 1, "", {"group:opaque", "group:leaves"},60,10)
+register_drop("lava", math.max(7, minetest.registered_nodes["mcl_core:lava_source"].light_source - 3), "lava", {"group:opaque"},60,10)