diff --git a/builtin/game/falling.lua b/builtin/game/falling.lua
index 1932b170..ece08b32 100644
--- a/builtin/game/falling.lua
+++ b/builtin/game/falling.lua
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ core.register_entity(":__builtin:falling_node", {
 				core.add_node(np, self.node)
 			end
 			self.object:remove()
-			nodeupdate(np)
+			core.check_for_falling(np)
 			return
 		end
 		local vel = self.object:getvelocity()
@@ -109,12 +109,12 @@ core.register_entity(":__builtin:falling_node", {
 	end
 })
 
-function spawn_falling_node(p, node)
+local function spawn_falling_node(p, node)
 	local obj = core.add_entity(p, "__builtin:falling_node")
 	obj:get_luaentity():set_node(node)
 end
 
-function drop_attached_node(p)
+local function drop_attached_node(p)
 	local nn = core.get_node(p).name
 	core.remove_node(p)
 	for _, item in pairs(core.get_node_drops(nn, "")) do
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ function drop_attached_node(p)
 	end
 end
 
-function check_attached_node(p, n)
+local function check_attached_node(p, n)
 	local def = core.registered_nodes[n.name]
 	local d = {x = 0, y = 0, z = 0}
 	if def.paramtype2 == "wallmounted" then
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ end
 -- Some common functions
 --
 
-function nodeupdate_single(p)
+function core.check_single_for_falling(p)
 	local n = core.get_node(p)
 	if core.get_item_group(n.name, "falling_node") ~= 0 then
 		local p_bottom = {x = p.x, y = p.y - 1, z = p.z}
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ end
 -- We don't walk diagonals, only our direct neighbors, and self.
 -- Down first as likely case, but always before self. The same with sides.
 -- Up must come last, so that things above self will also fall all at once.
-local nodeupdate_neighbors = {
+local check_for_falling_neighbors = {
 	{x = -1, y = -1, z = 0},
 	{x = 1, y = -1, z = 0},
 	{x = 0, y = -1, z = -1},
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ local nodeupdate_neighbors = {
 	{x = 0, y = 1, z = 0},
 }
 
-function nodeupdate(p)
+function core.check_for_falling(p)
 	-- Round p to prevent falling entities to get stuck.
 	p = vector.round(p)
 
@@ -223,10 +223,10 @@ function nodeupdate(p)
 		n = n + 1
 		s[n] = {p = p, v = v}
 		-- Select next node from neighbor list.
-		p = vector.add(p, nodeupdate_neighbors[v])
+		p = vector.add(p, check_for_falling_neighbors[v])
 		-- Now we check out the node. If it is in need of an update,
 		-- it will let us know in the return value (true = updated).
-		if not nodeupdate_single(p) then
+		if not core.check_single_for_falling(p) then
 			-- If we don't need to "recurse" (walk) to it then pop
 			-- our previous pos off the stack and continue from there,
 			-- with the v value we were at when we last were at that
@@ -258,17 +258,33 @@ end
 -- Global callbacks
 --
 
-function on_placenode(p, node)
-	nodeupdate(p)
+local function on_placenode(p, node)
+	core.check_for_falling(p)
 end
 core.register_on_placenode(on_placenode)
 
-function on_dignode(p, node)
-	nodeupdate(p)
+local function on_dignode(p, node)
+	core.check_for_falling(p)
 end
 core.register_on_dignode(on_dignode)
 
-function on_punchnode(p, node)
-	nodeupdate(p)
+local function on_punchnode(p, node)
+	core.check_for_falling(p)
 end
 core.register_on_punchnode(on_punchnode)
+
+--
+-- Globally exported functions
+--
+
+-- TODO remove this function after the 0.4.15 release
+function nodeupdate(p)
+	core.log("deprecated", "nodeupdate: deprecated, please use core.check_for_falling instead")
+	core.check_for_falling(p)
+end
+
+-- TODO remove this function after the 0.4.15 release
+function nodeupdate_single(p)
+	core.log("deprecated", "nodeupdate_single: deprecated, please use core.check_single_for_falling instead")
+	core.check_single_for_falling(p)
+end
diff --git a/doc/lua_api.txt b/doc/lua_api.txt
index b9208dba..7d552c98 100644
--- a/doc/lua_api.txt
+++ b/doc/lua_api.txt
@@ -2286,6 +2286,15 @@ and `minetest.auth_reload` call the authetification handler.
     * increase level of leveled node by level, default `level` equals `1`
     * if `totallevel > maxlevel`, returns rest (`total-max`)
     * can be negative for decreasing
+* `core.check_single_for_falling(pos)`
+    * causes an unsupported `group:falling_node` node to fall and causes an
+      unattached `group:attached_node` node to fall.
+    * does not spread these updates to neighbours.
+* `core.check_for_falling(pos)`
+    * causes an unsupported `group:falling_node` node to fall and causes an
+      unattached `group:attached_node` node to fall.
+    * spread these updates to neighbours and can cause a cascade
+      of nodes to fall.
 
 ### Inventory
 `minetest.get_inventory(location)`: returns an `InvRef`