diff --git a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_chests/init.lua b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_chests/init.lua
index 7a0e54c697..d87ae2a1db 100644
--- a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_chests/init.lua
+++ b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_chests/init.lua
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ local function register_chest(basename, desc, longdesc, usagehelp, tt_help, tile
 
 	local function drop_items_chest(pos, oldnode, oldmetadata)
 		local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
-		local meta2 = meta
+		local meta2 = meta:to_table()
 		if oldmetadata then
 			meta:from_table(oldmetadata)
 		end
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ local function register_chest(basename, desc, longdesc, usagehelp, tt_help, tile
 				minetest.add_item(p, stack)
 			end
 		end
-		meta:from_table(meta2:to_table())
+		meta:from_table(meta2)
 	end
 
 	local function on_chest_blast(pos)
diff --git a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_furnaces/init.lua b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_furnaces/init.lua
index dca476762b..9f836d1611 100644
--- a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_furnaces/init.lua
+++ b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_furnaces/init.lua
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ minetest.register_node("mcl_furnaces:furnace", {
 	on_timer = furnace_node_timer,
 	after_dig_node = function(pos, oldnode, oldmetadata, digger)
 		local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
-		local meta2 = meta
+		local meta2 = meta:to_table()
 		meta:from_table(oldmetadata)
 		local inv = meta:get_inventory()
 		for _, listname in ipairs({"src", "dst", "fuel"}) do
@@ -471,7 +471,7 @@ minetest.register_node("mcl_furnaces:furnace", {
 				minetest.add_item(p, stack)
 			end
 		end
-		meta:from_table(meta2:to_table())
+		meta:from_table(meta2)
 	end,
 
 	on_construct = function(pos)
diff --git a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_hoppers/init.lua b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_hoppers/init.lua
index 9defa26ca4..f9ba1a8c89 100644
--- a/mods/ITEMS/mcl_hoppers/init.lua
+++ b/mods/ITEMS/mcl_hoppers/init.lua
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ local def_hopper = {
 
 	after_dig_node = function(pos, oldnode, oldmetadata, digger)
 		local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
-		local meta2 = meta
+		local meta2 = meta:to_table()
 		meta:from_table(oldmetadata)
 		local inv = meta:get_inventory()
 		for i=1,inv:get_size("main") do
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ local def_hopper = {
 				minetest.add_item(p, stack)
 			end
 		end
-		meta:from_table(meta2:to_table())
+		meta:from_table(meta2)
 	end,
 	allow_metadata_inventory_move = function(pos, from_list, from_index, to_list, to_index, count, player)
 		local name = player:get_player_name()