diff --git a/mods/PLAYER/mcl_hunger/api.lua b/mods/PLAYER/mcl_hunger/api.lua
index ad609e055c..46dc76fa2a 100644
--- a/mods/PLAYER/mcl_hunger/api.lua
+++ b/mods/PLAYER/mcl_hunger/api.lua
@@ -1,19 +1,32 @@
 mcl_hunger.registered_foods = {}
 
+function mcl_hunger.init_player(player)
+	local meta = player:get_meta()
+	if meta:get_string("mcl_hunger:hunger") == "" then
+		meta:set_string("mcl_hunger:hunger", tostring(20))
+	end
+	if meta:get_string("mcl_hunger:saturation") == "" then
+		meta:set_string("mcl_hunger:saturation", tostring(mcl_hunger.SATURATION_INIT))
+	end
+	if meta:get_string("mcl_hunger:exhaustion") == "" then
+		meta:set_string("mcl_hunger:exhaustion", tostring(0))
+	end
+end
+
 if mcl_hunger.active then
 	function mcl_hunger.get_hunger(player)
-		local hunger = player:get_meta():get_string("mcl_hunger:hunger") or 20
-		return tonumber(hunger)
+		local hunger = tonumber(player:get_meta():get_string("mcl_hunger:hunger")) or 20
+		return hunger
 	end
 
 	function mcl_hunger.get_saturation(player)
-		local saturation = player:get_meta():get_string("mcl_hunger:saturation") or mcl_hunger.SATURATION_INIT
-		return tonumber(saturation)
+		local saturation = tonumber(player:get_meta():get_string("mcl_hunger:saturation")) or mcl_hunger.SATURATION_INIT
+		return saturation
 	end
 
 	function mcl_hunger.get_exhaustion(player)
-		local exhaustion = player:get_meta():get_string("mcl_hunger:exhaustion") or 0
-		return tonumber(exhaustion)
+		local exhaustion = tonumber(player:get_meta():get_string("mcl_hunger:exhaustion")) or 0
+		return exhaustion
 	end
 
 	function mcl_hunger.set_hunger(player, hunger, update_hudbars)
diff --git a/mods/PLAYER/mcl_hunger/init.lua b/mods/PLAYER/mcl_hunger/init.lua
index 0e64a19067..a90bdb73ec 100644
--- a/mods/PLAYER/mcl_hunger/init.lua
+++ b/mods/PLAYER/mcl_hunger/init.lua
@@ -96,15 +96,9 @@ if mcl_hunger.debug then
 	hb.register_hudbar("exhaustion", 0xFFFFFF, S("Exhaust."), { icon = "mcl_hunger_icon_exhaustion.png", bgicon = "mcl_hunger_bgicon_exhaustion.png", bar = "mcl_hunger_bar_exhaustion.png" }, 0, mcl_hunger.EXHAUST_LVL, false, S("%s: %d/%d"))
 end
 
-minetest.register_on_newplayer(function(player)
-	local name = player:get_player_name()
-	mcl_hunger.set_hunger(player, 20, false)
-	mcl_hunger.set_saturation(player, mcl_hunger.SATURATION_INIT, false)
-	mcl_hunger.set_exhaustion(player, 0, false)
-end)
-
 minetest.register_on_joinplayer(function(player)
 	local name = player:get_player_name()
+	mcl_hunger.init_player(player)
 	init_hud(player)
 	mcl_hunger.poison_damage[name] = 0
 	mcl_hunger.poison_hunger[name] = 0
@@ -193,6 +187,7 @@ end)
 else
 
 minetest.register_on_joinplayer(function(player)
+	mcl_hunger.init_player(player)
 	mcl_hunger.last_eat[player:get_player_name()] = -1
 end)